324 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



vol. 48. 



COLOLABIS BREVTROSTRIS (Peters). 



Several young specimens, 15 to 55 mm. long, were taken in the 

 surface tow at the following stations: 



4308 

 4313 

 4385 

 4389 

 4390 

 4392 



Off San Diego 



do 



do 



do 



Off Santa Catalina Island. 

 do 



Surface. 

 Do. 

 Do. 

 Do. 

 Do. 

 Do. 



A specimen of this species about 10 inches long has recently been 

 taken by us off the western coast of Vancouver's Island, thus well 

 to the northward of its reported range. 



MELAMPHAfiS CRISTICEPS Gilbert. 

 = ? Melamphaes nigrofulvus Gasman, 1899, p. 64, pi. D, fig. 2. 



Hitherto reported from off the coast of Washington, and from 

 Monterey Bay, California. A specimen in the present collection is 

 from station 4403, off San Clemente Island, southern California, 505 

 to 599 fathoms. 



The length from tip of snout to base of caudal is 84 mm. The 

 following measurements are given in hundredths of this length: 

 Length of head, 41; diameter of eye, 6; length of snout, 11; length 

 of maxillary, 18; longest gill-raker, 7; distance from tip of snout to 

 posterior line of occiput, 26; to front of dorsal, 49; to front of anal, 64; 

 to base of ventrals 42; to base of pectorals, 41 ; length of dorsal base, 

 26; of anal base, 11.7; length of pectorals, 32; of ventrals, 18; depth 

 of body, 30; least depth of caudal peduncle, 11.5; length of caudal 

 peduncle, from base of last anal ray to first caudal ray, 22.5; from 

 last dorsal ray to first caudal ray, 26. 



Dorsal, III, 13; anal, I, 9; pectoral, 15/15; ventrals, I, 7; lateral 

 line 23 or 24, counting from posterior opercular margin; gill-rakers 

 9 + 20, long, broad at base, tapering to a slender tip, weak and 

 flexible. 



The median spine on snout is directed upwards and slightly back- 

 wards; the skull is of firm cartilaginous texture, especially in the 

 occipital and preocular areas. The mouth is oblique, the maxillary 

 extending beyond the orbit. 



The ventrals are inserted below or very slightly behind the base of 

 pectorals. 



The first dorsal ray is barely in advance of the middle of the length 

 (excluding caudal). The first anal ray falls below the sixth before 

 the last of the dorsal; last dorsal ray midway between the first ray 

 of dorsal and the first of caudal. 



M. unicornis Gilbert from the Hawaiian region has the dorsal, anal, 

 and ventral fins more posteriorly inserted, their distances from tip of 



