Fishes 197 



some way in front of pectorals, and (including the loose skin of the 

 belly, the original contour of which cannot now he ascertained) ahout 

 three- quarters of total length, exclusive of mandible and caudal fin ; 

 depth of caudal peduncle about one-fifth of greatest depth of body. 



Head very large and stout ; its length (measured from end of 

 premaxilla to branchial opening) about five-eighths of total length 

 (measured as above), and equal to its depth at parietal spines. Eye 

 minute, about twenty-four times in head, and five times in preorbital 

 length. Greatest width of head between extremities of jaws, some- 

 what more than half its length, and about one and a half times the 

 distance between the parietal spines. Distance between eyes about 

 one and a half times preorbital length. 



Tentacle club-shaped ; length of its stem equal to length of its 

 longest filament, and about twice distance between parietal spines ; 

 digitiform processes less than one-fifth of length of stem. Thong- 

 like filaments, nine in number. 



Soft dorsal fin with five rays, originating about four-fifths of the 

 distance from end of premaxilla to origin of caudal. Anal with 

 four rays originating six-sevenths of the distance from end of pre- 

 maxilla to origin of caudal. Pectoral with fourteen rays. 



Teeth hinged and of varying size, in two to four regular rows. 



Colour uniform black ; membranes of unpaired fins dead white. 

 Tentacle black, paler at its tip and on basal parts of digitiform pro-" 

 cesses. Upper parts of digitiform processes and thong-like filaments 

 black, with white tips. 



Extreme length, 365 millimetres. 



The principal measurements of this specimen are as follows : 



Millimetres. 



Extreme length (including mandible and caudal fin) ... 365 



Length (excluding mandible, but including caudal fin) 347 



„ (excluding mandible and caudal fin) ... ... 285 



Front of snout to branchial opening 169 



,, ,, origin of dorsal fin ... ... ... 225 



anal fin ... ... ... 238 



