SYMPHYTOBRANCIIII. 



OOfv 



ooy 



Total length two and one half, length of head tliree sixteenths, depth 

 three eighths, and length of body cavity fifteen sixteenths inches. 



Stntion. Latitiuio. Longitu'Io, Dcptii. Time 



2027 0° 3(3' N. 82^" 45' W. Surlaco tu 1740 fathoms 6*' 40'" a. m. March 25, 1891. 



MYXINIA. 



SYMPHYTOBRANCHII. 



The names Cydostoma Lam., 1801, and C>/clostonuts Montf., 1810, both 

 having been used in the Mollusca, there is question of the propriety of 

 retaining either Cyclostonies, 1806 (Family name, in French), Cyclostomia, 

 1815 (Family), Cyclostoma, 1825 (Order), Cyclostomi, 1831 (Order), or 

 Cyclostomata, 1832 (Division), for a general term in connection with the 

 Myxiuoid fishes. Auloedibranchia, 1825 (Family), and Diporobranchia, 1825 

 (Family), are not particularly appropriate for more comprehensive designa- 

 tions. Gymnobranchii, 1832 (Order) is inapplicable on account of prior use 

 of Gymnobranches, 1816, in Crustacea, and of Gymnobranchiata, 1820, and 

 Gymnobranchia, 1821, in the Molluscs. Symphytobranchii, 1832 (Tribe), 

 is less objectionable, while Marsipobranchii, 1838 (Subclass), is suitable in 

 other respects but lacking too much in regard to priority. Dermopteres, 

 1806, and Dermopteria, 1815, were originally names for a family including 

 only Salmonidaj and Characinidfe. Discarding Cyclostomia, choice apparently 

 is limited to Myxinia, Symphytobranchii, and Marsipobranchii in- selecting a 

 cLass name for the Myxinoids. To adopt Myxinia, from Rafinesque's sub- 

 family of 1815, his family name, Cj^clostomia, also 1815, being an infringe- 

 ment on Cyclostoma 1801 and Cyclostomus 1810 of the molluscs, will give 

 less occasion for recurrent unsettling discussions of priority than in case of 

 either the tribe or the subclass name, however much one of them might be 

 preferred in some respects. 



Previous to the 3-ear 1891 the known horizontal distribution of the marine 

 Myxinia was about as follows : Geotria had been secured off the coasts of 

 Chili and of South Australia, Mordacia off the coasts of Chili and of Xew 

 Zealand, Petromyzon off the western coasts of Europe, off the northeastern 

 and the northwestern coasts of North America, off the southeastern coasts of 

 South America, and oflf the coasts of Japan, Homea off the coasts of Chili, of 

 California, of New Zi'aland, and in the ''South Seas," and Myxine off the 



