1881,] THE SURVEY OF H. M.S. 'alert.' 21 



striking dijQFerences, which will be mentioned in the subsequent de- 

 scription. The fish is evidently habitually living at a greater depth 

 than that at which Dr. Coppinger happened to obtain the single 

 specimen in his collection. 



17. Melanostigma gelatinosum. (Plate II. fig. A.) 



The whole body is enveloped in a loose delicate skin, like Liparis. 

 Head large, deep, compressed, with obtuse snout. Eye large, two 

 sevenths of the length of the head, and longer than the snout. Cleft 

 of the mouth rather oblique, but the lowc jaw does not project be- 

 yond the upper. Lips not fleshy. Inside of the mouth, gill-openings, 

 and vent black. The gill-opening is reduced to a very narrow fora- 

 men above the base of the pectoral fin. The origin of the dorsal 

 fin and the root of the pectoral are enveloped in the loose skin of 

 the body. The dorsal fin seems to commence above the m.iddle of 

 the pectoral, is low at first, but becomes considerably higher pos- 

 teriorly. Pectoral very narrow, consisting of a few rays only. 

 Upper parts tinged with a purplish grey ; sides marbled with the 

 same colour, which towards the end of the tail becomes more in- 

 tense, almost black. 



Total length of the specimen 5| inches; distance of the snout 

 from the gill-opening ^, from the vent \\. 



The specimen was obtained on January 15, 1880, at Tilly Bay, 

 in the Straits of Magellan, in 24 fathoms. 



18. HiPPOGLOSsiNA MACROPS, Stciudachn. Trinidad Channel. 



19. HiPPOGLOSSINA MICROPS, sp. n. 



D. 72. A. 56. V. 1/5. The height of the body is contained twice 

 and one third in the total length (without caudal), the length of 

 the head thrice and one half. The eyes are, compared with those of 

 Hippoglossina macrops, small, equal to the length of the snout, and 

 two ninths of that of the head ; the upper is slightly in advance of 

 the lower ; the space between them is flat, half as wide as the 

 vertical diameter of the eye, and covered with minute scales. Mouth 

 wide, the maxillary extending beyond the middle of the orbit. An- 

 terior curve of the lateral line semicircular. Dorsal fin commencing 

 above the eye, of moderate height; pectoral fin half the length 

 of the head ; ventrals well developed, symmetrically placed, greyish, 

 finely mottled with brown. 



A single specimen, 4 inches long, was obtaiued on the west coast 

 of Patagonia. 



20. Galaxias attenuatus, Jen. Puerto Bueno. 



21. Galaxias coppingeri, sp. n. 



D. 12. A. 17. Body elongate, its depth in front of the dorsal 

 being one tenth of the total length (without caudal), the length of 

 the head two ninths. Snout rather broad, with the jaws equal in 

 length ; cleft of the mouth rather narrow, the maxillary extending 

 to below the front margin of the orbit. Eye rather large, a little 



