50 PHYSOSTOMI. 



Scopelus Pennantii, Cuv. and Val. xxii, p. 436 ; Yarrell, Brit. Fish. (Ed. 3) i, 

 p. 330 ; White, Catal. p. 82. 



Scopelus Tnaurolici, Cuv. and Val. xxii, p. 439. 

 Maurolicus Miilleri, Kroyer, Dan. Fisk. iii, p. 113. 

 Argentina hebridica (pt.) Giinther, Catal. vi, p. 203. 

 Argentine, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isles, iv, p. 301, pi. ccxxxiii. 



B. ix, D. 10 (|), P. 16, V. 7, A. 10 + 12 + 4-13, C. 19, L. 1. 28, L. tr. 6, Coec. 

 pyl. 8, Vert. 32. 



Length of head 4 to 4£, of caudal fin 6| to 7|, height of body 5 to 5|- (4j in the 

 young) in the total length. Eye — diameter 2f to 3£ in the length of the head, 

 3/4 to nearly 1 diameter from the end of the snout, and rather more than half a 

 diameter apart : interorbital space concave from side to side, with a ridge running 

 down its centre. Body and head compressed : the greatest width of the body does 

 not quite equal half its height. Cleft of mouth deep, the maxilla wide and 

 reaching to below the middle of the orbit : lower jaw prominent. Teeth — fine 

 ones in a single row in both jaws, none on the vomer or palate. Fins — the rayed 

 dorsal commences midway between the hind edge of the eye and the base of the 

 caudal fin : its highest rays rather exceed one-half the height of the body below the 

 fin : the adipose dorsal is very rudimentary, being apparently absent in some 

 examples. Pectoral about half as long as the head. Ventral about as long as one 

 diameter of the orbit, and inserted on a vertical line almost immediately beneath 

 the first dorsal ray, and not quite reaching the insertion of the anal. The anal 

 fin arises on a line somewhat posterior to the base of the last dorsal ray : the first 

 ten rays are somewhat similar to, but rather shorter than, those in the dorsal fin, 

 the succeeding ones are smaller, and the last few in some specimens again increase 

 in size, but owing to their fragility, and being imbedded among the muscles and 

 scales, it becomes extremely difficult to ascertain their numbers : in some I have 

 only been able to discover about 26 in all : in the fine example figured there seem 

 to be 33. Scales — cycloid, higher than wide, very deciduous, but distinct : although 

 in the British Museum catalogue it is remarked that there are no regular scales^ 

 this is due to their having been abraded, leaving the subjacent silvery pigment 

 visible : still even in the Redcar specimens some can be seen if a magnifying glass 

 is employed. Luminous spots, not elevated but level with the surface of the 

 skin, are very distinct, one on the preorbital, one beneath the chin, one at the 

 posterior angle of the lower jaw : six on the branchiostegal rays : six on the chest, 

 in a line terminating posteriorly at the upper part of the base of the pectoral fin : 

 twelve along the lower edge of the abdomen between the humeral arch and the 

 base of the ventral fin : parallel to this last row and commencing at the upper 

 edge of the base of the pectoral fin, and terminating above the base of the ventral 

 are eight more : six more in a single row between the bases of the ventral and 

 anal fins : fifteen along the base of the anal, and eight more along the lower edge 

 of the body between that fin and the caudal : over the commencement of the anal 

 fin exists a single spot a little higher up than the anal row. Stomach ccecal, with 

 longitudinal well developed ruga3 : in those opened no food existed, but small 

 gravel was present in the mouth and fauces : eight large and rather long ccecal 

 appendages : intestines making only two curvatures : testicles and ovaries very 

 long, reaching almost the entire length of the abdominal cavity. Pseudobranchiaa 

 well developed. Colours — back of a glossy brown or black, with, during life, two 

 zig-zag lighter lines along either side of the back : sides of the head and body of 

 a burnished silvery lustre : a dark band just before the base of the caudal fin : a 

 black mark at the base of most of the luminous spots. 



Varieties. — I have examined numerous examples and find that the number of 

 rays in the anal fin may vary from twenty-six to thirty-seven, owing I suppose to 

 injuries due to friction. No other essential differences being apparent, these 

 scarcely appear sufficient to constitute distinct species. The height of the body 

 in small examples is considerably greater in proportion than that in larger ones. 

 Hutton (Trans. New Zealand Inst, vii, p. 250, pi. xi, f. 90 d) described Maurolicus 

 Australis, from exam^es captured at Milford Sound and Cuttle Cove, New 



