içoQ-] R. B. lyivOYD : Deep-Sea Fish caught by the ''Investigator.'' 167 



Depressible teeth in both jaws in three irregular series. Three or four teeth situ- 

 ated transversely in each vomer and the same number in each palatine. 



Colour in spirits uniform grey above and below ; lighter near the jaws. Three 

 gill-arches without rakers ; pseudobranchs present. 



One specimen, 55 mm. in length, from the Laccadive Sea, Station 259, depth 300 

 fathoms. Registered No. ^\^. 



• Family CERATIID^. 

 Genus Lophodolos, nov. 



A genus which resembles Dolopichthys and differs from the other genera of the 

 family in possessing paired cephalic spines and a jointed bait-bearing filament which 

 is directed backwards, and in being covered loosely with soft black skin entirely de- 

 void of scales and ossicles. 



It differs from Dolopichthys in that the snout is short and the mouth nearly ver- 

 tical, and in the position of the dorsal filament, which is attached to the back of the 

 neck and not to the snout. The cephalic spines are disposed as in Dolopichthys. 

 There are no ventral fins ; the eye is very small ; there are six branchiostegal rays 

 and three gill-arches of which only the second and third bear filaments. 



Lophodolos indicus, sp. nov. 



Illustr. Zool. "■Investigator ,'' Fishes, plate xlv, fig. 7 (1909). 



B. 6, D. 7, A. 6, P. 16, C. II. 



The length and depth of the head are about ec[ual and are slightly less than half 

 the total length without the caudal, the proportion being 4:9. The eye is very small 

 and the snout is considerably shorter than the postocular portion of the head, the 

 proportion being 2:3. The angle of the mouth is slightly in front of a vertical 

 through the eye. The mouth is more nearly vertical than horizontal. There is a 

 deep longitudinal groove on the cranium from the snout to the occiput. The 

 cephalic spines are long and project upwards, outwards and slightly backwards. The 

 nasal spines are much shorter and project directly upwards. The spines at the angle 

 of the jaw seem to project downwards, outwards and forwards, but this part of the 

 specimen is somewhat damaged. The spines on the mentum project directly forwards 

 when the mouth is closed. They are curved, the concavity being below. 



The depth of the body at the anterior end of the dorsal fin is about half that of 

 the head. The whole is covered with a soft skin which is easily detached but not 

 fragile. 



The dorsal filament arises behind the occiput half-way between the snout and the 

 fourth ray of the posterior dorsal fin. It is naturally directed backwards and reaches 

 just beyond the base of the caudal fin. The proximal quarter is thick, the distal 

 three-quarters is filamentous. The thick part has a backwardly directed joint close 

 to its insertion. The bait is hard but is covered with short, shreddy filaments. Its 



