314 DEEP SEA FISHES. 



Hab. Cocos Islands. 



This species and E. nehulosa are closely allied. A specimen of the latter 

 from the Society Islands has nearly the same number of vertebrte, 55 + 

 71; but has a larger number of dorsal rays, 139 + 209 ca., single rows of 

 maxillary teeth, two scries of vomerines — distinct anteriorly, and a some- 

 what different style of markings. 



Echidna scabra sp. n. 



This species resembles Echidna nehulosa and E. cocosa in shape but is 

 stouter, less slender, has a shorter tail, and larger scale marks than the latter. 

 It also resembles U. noctwua, but has a longer anal, a different dentition, and 

 a different macnlation. Body and tail compressed ; depth one thirteenth of 

 the total length, tolerably well retained till near the end of the tail, which is 

 rounded on the hind margin to a blunted extremity; vent midway from the 

 eye to the end of the caudal fin. Head compressed, length about one 

 seventh of the total, or four fifteenths of head and body, very convex in out- 

 line above the snout, concave above the orbits. Snout deep, strongly arched, 

 longer than the eye. Mouth large, two sevenths as long as the head, ex- 

 tending little farther backward than the eye. Teeth varying iu shapes and 

 sizes: at the head of the vomer at each side there are eight large stout 

 swollen-based teeth, with cusps somewhat blunt, forming a closely .set series 

 around a short longitudinal row of three larger ones in the middle ; back- 

 ward of this anterior group there are two series of smaller and sharper teeth 

 on each maxillary, and a series of similar ones on the shaft of the vomer ; 

 opposed to the vomerine group, on the lower jaws there is another group of 

 strong teeth like those meeting them from the upper jaws, of about eight 

 on each side scpai'ated in the middle by two ; behind the symphyseal group, 

 on each dentary the teeth are of moderate size and blunted cusps and form 

 a single row. Tlie two maxillary series of teeth below the orbit on each 

 side do not end in a single series as in E. cocosa; they and the vomerines 

 extend backward nearly as far as the hind border of the eye. In the for- 

 ward groups the teeth increase in size backward in the series. Gill opening 

 smaller than the eye. Eye large, two thirds as long as the snout, one tenth 

 of the length of the head. Anterior nostril tubular, posterior above the for- 

 ward half of the eye. Vertebrae 57 + 69. 



Dorsal origin one length of snout and eye forward of the gill openings; 

 anal fin little more than half as deep as the dorsal, deeper backward. 



