MERLUCCIUS ANGUSTIMANUS. 183 



physis, a stronger one at the hind ends of the lower jaws. Gills four, a slit 

 behind the fourth ; rakers more than half as long as the eye, slender, eight 

 on the outer edge of the first arch on the upper segment and eighteen on 

 the lower. Pseudobranchiaj none. Vent below the origin of the dorsal fin, 

 some distance forward of the end of the body chamber. 



Fins with slender rather soft and flexible rays. First dorsal short; third 

 ray prolonged in a filament, longer than the head. Second dorsal united to 

 the first by a low membrane, anterior rays as long as the eye, longest rays 

 near the caudal, median rays shorter. Anal fin similar to second dorsal, but 

 not so deep, and originating slightly forward of it. Caudal sepanate from 

 the other fins, median rays longer. Pectorals slender, longer than the head. 

 Veutrals narrow, of seven rays, two of the uppermost being very long, near 

 twice the length of the head. Scales thin, deciduous, covering top and sides 

 of head and chin, absent from a small rounded space in front of the vent 

 backward of the ventrals. Lateral liue about eight scales below the dorsal, 

 ciirved anteriorly, indistinct backward. On the head the sense organs of 

 this line are similar to those of Ph^cicuhis rastrelliger, Plate LXXXIl. fig. 2, 

 but are larger and, in the mandibular series, one or two less in number. 



Brownish, probably reddish in life ; purplish to black on the chin, belly 

 and sides around the pectorals and up to the dorsal fin ; bases of fins 

 and hinder parts of caudal blackish. Linings of mouth, throat and belly 

 blackish. 



Merluccius angustimanus sp. n. 

 Plate XLI. fy. 1 ; Plate LXXXIL fij. 1, Lat. Syst. 



Br. r. 7 ; D. 10, 16 + 19 ; A. 17 + 19 ; V. 7 ; P. 17 ; LI. 110 ca. ; Ltr. 

 13 + 39. 



Moderately elongate and compressed ; depth nearly one sixth of the 

 total length; width three fourths of the depth; caudal pedicel slender. 

 Head long, one third of the length to the base of the caudal, four fifths as 

 wide as high, narrower toward the throat; crown broad, longitudinally 

 straight, slightly arched transversely, interorbital space one and one third 

 times as wide as the eye. Snout long, broader than deep, blunt at the end, 

 one and one half to one and two thirds times as long as the orbit. Eye 



