MACRURUS BARBIGER. 197 



the etid of the snout to the intcvniuxillaries, liardlj' one fifth of the lenglh 

 of the head. Interorbital space deeply concave on the skull, but no doubt 

 filled with tissues in life so as to be plane oi" convex. Suborbital ridge low, 

 distinct, rounded, ending at a vertical from the hind border of the orljit. 

 Mouth large, reaching below the forward half of the eye. Teeth small, in 

 villiform bands, larger in the outer series of the upper jaw. Barbel small, 

 nearly half as long as the eye. Occipital crest of the skull high and strong, 

 the crest at each side of it lower but distinct. 



Dorsal origin above the base of the pectoral, first spine small, second 

 spine long, strong, compressed, without serrations on its forward edge. 

 Second dorsal low, weak. Anal well developed, backward of the first 

 dorsal about one length of the base of the latter. Ventrals small, inserted 

 below the bases of the pectorals or a very little farther back. Scales 

 medium, in their expcsed portions bearing keels which are so fine as to 

 appear smooth to the touch on individuals of two feet in length ; those on 

 the head apparent!}- thickened, rougher ; five scales in a row from the lateral 

 line to the base of the first dorsal. Vent close to the anal fin. No 

 pyloric coeca. 



Brownish, darker on the hind borders of the scales, reddish or purple 

 tinted in life. 



Certain features on these specimens suggest the possibility of a consid- 

 erable metamorpliosis in the species ; the scales may have been much 

 rougher in j'oung stages, and the second spine of the dorsal may have 

 possessed serrations or spinules on its forwai'd edge. Filaments probably 

 exist on the ventrals and first dorsal. 



Macrurus barbiger sp. n. 

 Plate XLV. figs. 2-2 h. 



Br. r. 7; D. 11 +116 ; A. 103; V. 11; P. 21; LI. ca. 155. 



This species resembles M. Uolepis in shape, but has the head more round, 

 the cheeks more convex, the snout narrower, and the barbel longer, besides 

 ■which differences there are others in the fins and the colors. Body ratlier 

 massive, moderately compressed, depth three fifths of the length of the 

 head, total length two and two thirds times the length of the body cavity ; 

 caudal section compressed, slender, filamentary toward the end. Head 



