BROTULOIDS. 143 



from the arch, which meet at their anterior ends, inclosing the bases of tlie 

 ventrals as directed upwards toward the forward end of the hyoid, which 

 forms a wide inverted trough containing the presymphyseal processes of 

 the humeral arcli. On account of the long extensions the ventral fins, 

 though displaced in appearance, are really back of a humeral ^symphysis, as 

 in most other fishes. The ventral raj's are modified to form barbels. From 

 the ventrals to the vent is twice the distance from the ventrals to the 

 bases of the pectorals. Scales small on head and body, very thin and 

 flexible. Snout bare. YertebrJB 13 + 44. From the least depths the 

 specimens are a trifle more stout and lighter in color. 



Dingy or clouded brown, top of head darker, edges of scales darker, 

 borders of dorsal and anal black. Pectorals dark, tipped with lighter. 

 Lining of mouth cavity whitish, of belly black. Color on the fins in close 

 set puncticulations. 



BROTULOIDS. 



The Brotuloids are so pre-eminently inhabitants of great depths that much 

 the greater portion of the group is of recent discovery. Before the '• Chal- 

 lenger" expedition comparatively few species were known. From the col- 

 lections made by that vessel fifteen or sixteen new species were described ; 

 later the different steamers of the United States Fishery Commission gath- 

 ered about as many more ; the French steamers " Travailleur " and '' Talis- 

 man " added seven or eight ; the Royal Indian Marine Surve^ung Steamer 

 " Investigator" brought to light about twenty; and the work of the United 

 States Fish Commission Steamer "Albatro.ss" between the Galapagos Archi- 

 i:)elago and the mainland of Central America and Mexico makes an addition 

 of the twenty or more described below. All told the list of species is at 

 present more than five times as large as at the beginning of the deep sea 

 researches. Horizontally the distribution extends from the polar regions 

 to the tropics in all seas ; that tiie representation from the southern oceans 

 is so small is no doubt accounted for by lack of search in those waters. 



