LYCODES ANGUIS. 133 



Lycodes anguis sp. n. 



Plate XXX. fig. 1. 



Br. r. 6; D. 103-109; A. 92-97; V. 2 (3); P. 17; C. 10. 



"When compared with others of its kindred this form presents no very 

 great differences in sliape. The body is slender and compressed, and the 

 depth is about one sixteenth of the total length. Head narrow, with sides 

 nearly parallel, as wide as deep, in length less than one sixth of the total, 

 slightly convex on the occipital region, which is longer than wide. Inter- 

 orbital space narrow, hardly convex, in width about one third of the length of 

 the orbit. Snout long, one and one half times the eye, broad, subacuminate 

 or rounded and blunt at the end. Labial region, between eye and nostrils, 

 swollen. Nostrils with a short tube, situated near the lip and the end of 

 the snout. Eye large, two thirds of the snout, close upon one fifth of the 

 head. Mouth medium, cleft extending to a vertical from the front edge of 

 the eye ; maxillary not subtending half of the orbit, lower jaw nearly as 

 long as upper ; lips medium. Teeth on the jaws in four or five series near 

 the symphysis, on the vomer in a curved series in front of the middle of 

 which there is a short triangular group with its apex foi'ward. A single 

 short palatine series on each side. Branchial apertures moderately wide, ex- 

 tending forward from the pectoral bases almost to the ventrals. The dorsal 

 fin and the anal widen backward so that the fins and the muscular portion 

 together retain the depth of the anterior half as they approach the caudal. 

 Dorsal origin above the middle of the pectoral. Anal origin distant from 

 the snout about twice the length of the head. Depth of base of pec- 

 torals about two fifths of the length of the fin, which latter is contained one 

 and two thirds times in the head ; below and posteriorly the pectoral rays 

 are prolonged in a fringe. Ventrals as long as the eye, ending in a flexible 

 point ; anterior ray short. Caudal continuous with dorsal and anal, short, 

 pointed or somewhat rounded. Scales small, close together or in contact 

 covering the body and the basal portions of the fins ; absent from the head 

 and the pectoral fins. Mucous pores around the mouth conspicuous, as also 

 the chambers in the bones. Lateral line rudimentary, to be traced but for 

 a very short distance from the operculum. 



Brownish ; darker on the head and over the cavity of the body ; lighter 

 backward on the muscular portions. Length nine inches. 



