326 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.48. 



Origin of dorsal nearer tip of snout than base of caudal, the length 

 of its base contained 1J times in its distance from first upper caudal 

 ray; first anal ray under the fifth before the last dorsal ray, the last 

 dorsal ray over the middle of anal base. Base of ventrals slightly in 

 advance of base of pectorals; the pectoral fin extends beyond the 

 base of the dorsal. 



Apparently jet black in life, including the mouth and gill cavity. 



M. bispinosus is apparently most nearly related to M. beani, with 

 which it agrees in having but two spinous rays in the dorsal fin. It 

 differs in the longer snout, longer slenderer head, shorter caudal 

 peduncle and lower crests on head. A specimen of M. beani from 

 the United States National Museum shows the following measure- 

 ments: Length of head, 36 hundredths of total length to base of 

 caudal; greatest width of head, 18; interorbital width, 15; length of 

 snout, 8.5; length of longest gill-raker, 5; distance from tip of snout 

 to occiput, 19; to front of dorsal, 49; to front of anal, 54; to base of 

 ventrals, 33; to base of pectorals, 35; length of caudal peduncle from 

 last anal ray, 35. 



Paratypes were obtained from the following stations : 



4335 

 4336 

 4382 

 4402 



Off Sail Dieso 



Fathoms. 

 500-534 

 518-565 

 642-666 

 542-599 



do 1 



Off Coronado Island? 



OfF Ran ClP.mp.Titp. Island ....... 





MELAMPHAIES NYCTERINUS, new species. 

 Plate 16, fig. 6. 



Type-specimen. — Cat. No. 75810, U.S.N.M., about 80 mm. in total 

 length (caudal fin injured), from station 4393, off Santa Catalina 

 Island, 2,113 to 2,259 fathoms. 



Dorsal, II, 12; anal, I, 8; pectorals, 14 in each fin; ventral, I, 7. 

 Scales in 27 oblique series downward and backward, 12 or 13 scales 

 in an oblique series from front of dorsal to front of anal. 



Length of head, 38 hundredths of total length without caudal; 

 length of snout, 11; diameter of eye, 3; least interorbital width, 10; 

 length of maxillary, 18; depth at occiput, 28; greatest width of head, 

 20; greatest depth of body, 29; least depth of caudal peduncle, 10; 

 length of free portion of caudal peduncle, 26; distance from tip of 

 snout to pectoral, 41 ; to base of ventral, 43; to front of dorsal, 50; to 

 front of anal, 71 ; length of base of dorsal; 23 ; length of base of anal, 8; 

 distance from base of ventral to origin of anal, 28; length of pec- 

 toral, 30. 



Head moderately compressed, rather thick, the circumocular crests 

 well developed, other crests low; occipital area prominent, firm, 

 without lateral winglike expansions; supraorbital expansions high, 

 rather firm, overarching and largely concealing the eye; anterior and 



