MACRURUS FRAGILIS. 203 



dorsul low, feebly developed anteriorly. Anal more developed than second 

 dorsal, originating backward of the first dorsal about halC the length of the 

 base of the latter. Vent close to the first ray of the anal, backward from 

 the head two fifths of latter's length. Ventrals small, inserted on a vertical 

 from the origin of the pectorals, fii'st ray with a filament reaching to the 

 vent. Pectorals medium, passing backward of the anal origin. Scales 

 harsh with short, sharp, closely set spinules in longitudinal keel-like series, 

 the posterior being larger and extending bej'ond the scale. Five rows of 

 scales between the lateral line and the base of the first dorsal fin. Pyloric 

 appendices seven. 



Dark grayish brown or blackish, silvery below the scales ; linings of body 

 cavity blackish to silvery. First dorsal and pectorals blackish. 



Macrurus fragilis sp. n. • 



Plate XL VI. jig. 1. 



Br. r. 7(7-6); D. 9+?; A. ca. 177; V. 9 ; P. 19. 



Form elongate, attennate ; body and head compressed ; caudal region 

 slender and whiplike. Head about one seventh, and body cavity less than 

 one fourth of the total length. Depth of body two thirds of the length of 

 the head, width of body or head three fifths of the depth. Greatest depth 

 of the caudal region hardly more than half the depth of the body. The 

 dorsal line from the nape to the end of the tail is nearly straight; close 

 behind the belly the ventral line rises abruptly about halfway to and thence 

 gradually approaches the dorsal line toward the end of the tail. Top of 

 head flattened ; sides very little convergent forward, nearly parallel. Snout 

 broad, blunt, as long as the eye, equal the width of the interorbital space, 

 median angle prominent, distance from one of the lateral angles to the 

 other equal to that across the head between the eyes. Suborbital ridge 

 low, rounded. Large mucous channels on top of the head ; a low median 

 prominence separates them backward to or between the front portions of 

 the eyes. Eye large, one fourth as long as the head, equal to the length 

 of the snout, or a trifle less than the width of the interorbital space. Mouth 

 of medium size; maxillary subtending the entire orbit. Teeth small, in 



