THE DISCOBOLI. 63 



somewhat compressed bases, cusps compressed to sharp edges, outer cusp 

 turned outward so as to give an inflated appearance at the top, arranged 

 in about seventy-two rows, counting lengthwise on each jaw, or ten rows 

 transversely, from outer to inner. Pharyngeal teeth simple, in two 

 bunches of eight or ten rows at the esophagus on the roof of the mouth, 

 and below these on the floor in two smaller elongate groups. Nostrils 

 small, tubes short or absent, posterior between the anterior halves of the 

 eyes, anterior in front of these about one diameter of the orbit, and twice 

 the same distance from each other. Eye small, less than one eighth 

 of head. Gills three and a half. Gill openings a vertical slit, extending 

 downward a short distance on the base of the pectoral. Skin thin, loose. 

 Backward from the vent the form is much compressed, the thickness 

 being nearly one half of the height, and both lateral and dorsal outlines 

 taper regularly to the caudal. Dorsal, anal, and caudal fins confluent, anal 

 extending farther on the caudal, i. e. more than half the length of the lat- 

 ter. Dorsal commencing above the gill opening, at a distance from the 

 snout that is contained in the total length without the caudal three and 

 two fifths times. The anal begins a trifle in advance of the mid-length, 

 excluding the caudal. Pectoral broad, not reaching the anal, upper portion 

 rounded, lower fringed, a shallow indentation between the two portions. 

 Caudal subtruncate, rounded, with rays more than half as long as the head. 

 Ventral disk small, one fourth longer than broad, situated its length from 

 the lips, occupying nearly one third of the distance from the snout to the 

 first ray of the anal, or about one eighth of the total length. Entire length 

 ten inches. 



Color dark brown, irregularly marked with whitish or grayish. A series 

 of five or six spots, each as large as the eye, along the middle of the flank. 

 Below these, near the lower edge, there are indications of four or five 

 whitish blotches, resembling transverse bands. Dorsal, anal, and caudal 

 with irregular cloudings and blotches of darker and of lighter. Base of 

 pectoral with a couple of large blotches of light grayish, balance of the fin 

 freckled with light color. Head dark, somewhat reddened. 



Collected by Messrs. Pierce and Smith at Saghalien, Channel of Tartary. 

 Dr. Bean's specimens came from Plover Bay, Siberia ; Unalashka ; St. 

 Paul's Island ; off Indian Point ; Cape Tchaplin ; E. Siberia ; and Bering 

 Strait. 



