Sea Paradoxes 155 



They are black, chubby creatures, with enormous 

 mouths compared with their length, which in the 

 specimens given is from four to five inches. And they 

 are called Rondeletia and Cetomimus. Now Rondeletia 

 has an eye, of which the diameter is one-sixth the 

 length of the head, or about twice as large in proportion 

 to its size as is the human eye. Cetomimus has an 

 eye which is but a point like a pin's head, its diameter 

 being one twenty-third the length of the head, or less 

 than the sixteenth of an inch. Rondeletia has no trace 

 of a lateral line, that general characteristic of fishes, 

 but Cetomimus has double lateral lines, the two parallels 

 being joined here and there by bands much like the 

 ladder tape of a Venetian blind. The depths from 

 which these strange little fish have been taken vary 

 from one thousand to one thousand five hundred 

 fathoms. 



As an instance of the diversity obtaining between 

 deep-sea fish, scarcely any specimens could be found 

 more appropriate than Simenchelys and Eurypharynx, 

 whose amazing names are really justified by the 

 queevness of the fish. Simenchelys abides an5nvhere 

 from one to five hundred fathoms down. He is black, 

 a dirty black, as are most of the deep-dwelling fish, 

 and has a comfortably stout body, much like that of a 

 stalwart eel. But his mouth gives great occasion 

 for wonder as to how he can possibly obtain food 

 through such a tiny opening. It is the most insignifi- 

 cant orifice imaginable, comparable only (and pro- 

 portionately) to a hole made in the end of a sausage 

 with a flat skewer. But presently it is found that 

 this queer fish is really a sort of gigantic leech. He 

 attaches himself to the bodies of the larger, fleshier 

 fish, such as the halibut, and by sheer force of suction 

 and boring withal works his ravenous way right into 



