266 DEEP SEA FISHES. 



The scales behind the adipose dorsal, appear to cover luminous bodies; 

 the adipose fin, and mucous matter in the cavity in the middle of tiie inter- 

 orbital space and around the nasal sacs probably also are luminous. The 

 iris has the golden color of the lanterns and if not luminous itself must act 

 as a reflector. 



Brilliant iridescent bluish to silvery and golden on the scales and head, 

 blackish when the scales are lost, darker on the back, lighter on the fins, 

 whitish on the snout ; lanterns and iris golden. 



station. Latitude. Longitude. Temperature. 



3382 6° 21' N. 80° 41' W. Surface 75° F. 



Myctophum nitidulum sp. n. 

 Plate LVI. fig. 3. 



D. 12; A. 19; V. 8; P. 13; LI. 40. 



This species is somewhat clo.sely allied to M. Canimamim C. V. The 

 differences in .shape, position of fins, and in the numbers of rays and of 

 scales are small, and the arrangements of the lanterns present great simi- 

 larities in the two species ; but there are dissimilarities in the groupings of 

 the lanterns that, taken in connection with the slight variations in the 

 numbers of the lanterns, of the rays, and of the scales and in the shape of 

 the head, make it necessary to describe and figure this form as distinct. 

 The body is quite as slender as that of 31. Canlithinum, but the head is rather 

 more full and blunt on the snout, the eye is smaller, and the number 

 of lanterns in the post anal group, Liitken's aimles postcriores, is five instead 

 of eight. Another form to which the present bears considerable resem- 

 blance is 31. affiiiis Llitk., which has the same numbers of lanterns in the 

 groups, but has a less distinct separation of one group from another, and 

 the eye is larger, the snout shorter and less pointed and the number of 

 scales in the lateral line is smaller in that species. 



Body and head compressed, caudal region of moderate slenderness. 

 Length of head one fourth and depth of head two elevenths of the total 

 length. Mouth wide ; maxillary two thirds as long as the head, hardly 

 expanded at the end. Ej'e large, little less than one third of the length ol 

 the head. Anal origin slightly forward of the middle of the entire length, 

 third or fourth ray below the ba.se of the hindmost ray of the dorsal. First 

 dorsal ray midway from the snout to the middle of the distance from the 



