STO^riAS ATRIVENTER. 277 



numerous, from four to six. Each of the smaller scattered spots is sur- 

 rounded b}- a ring of black pigment tliat shows best where the skin has 

 been rubbed. There are sixty-seven of the hexagonal areas between the 

 humerus and the caudal, and nine between the median line of the back and 

 that of the belly. 



Dorsal origin nearl}' one length of the head forward of the base of the 

 caudal, above the third ray of the anal ; base ending above the eighteenth 

 anal ray. The bases of caudal and dorsal are separated by a space of the 

 length of the orbit ; the space between the bases of anal and caudal is about 

 half as long. Caudal forked, with seven short rays above the base and 

 three below. Ventrals as long as the mouth, narrow, of five rays, longest 

 reaching to the vent, bases distant from the anal one length of its base. 

 Pectorals not differing much in size from the ventrals, of six rays. Though 

 two is the most common number of tentacles at the end of the barbel 

 instances of one more or less are not rare : in a single lot from a particular 

 locality there are three forms, one with one, another with two and a third 

 with three tentacles. 



Dark brown or blackish, belly black, tins lighter. 



Stomias atriventer sp. n. 

 Plate L VI. fig. f 



Br. r. 18; D. 15; A. 19; V. 5; P. 6. 



Elongate, slender, somewhat compressed, depth one twelfth and length 

 of head one tenth of the distance from the snout to the base of the caudal. 

 Eye large, width equal to that of the interorbital space or to the length of 

 the snout, one fourth as long as the jaws, little less than one fourth as long 

 as the head, located immediately in front of a vertical through the middle of 

 the upper jaw. Mouth large, upper jaw about four times as long as the eye. 

 Teeth hooked, fang-like ; each intermaxillary with five teeth, anterior 



