124 A. Alcock — Recent Collection of Bathyhial Fishes. [No. 2 



twice the length of the trunk proper, and more than half the length of 

 the lash-like tail : its length in the total is nearly one-third. 



The trihedral, rigid, and acutely-pointed snout is about two-fifths 

 the length of the head, and about twice the major diameter of the 

 large eye in length : aJDOut four-fifths of its extent is pre-oral. The 

 nostril on either side has the form of a large pit (the vertical diameter 

 of which is two-fifths the major diameter of the eye) with an anterior 

 circular opening, and the posterior opening much larger and reniform — 

 the two openings being separated by a narrow bridge of skin. 



The mouth is quite inferior : the maxilla reaches almost to the 

 vertical through the posterior border of the orbit. Villiform teeth in 

 a narrow tapering band in the lower jaw ; and in a broader and longer 

 band in the upper jaw, where the outer row is slightly enlarged. 

 Barbel slender, not much more than half an eye-length long. 



Gill-openings wide, the membranes free : gill-rakers rudimentary : 

 gill-laminae large and broad. 



The body and the head, except in the glosso-hyal region, are every- 

 where covered with large, stout, firmly adherent scales : those on the 

 head, which arc so intimately adherent to the bones beneath as to form 

 a plate-armour, are furnished Avith fi'om three to eight strong widely- 

 radiating spiniferous ribs ; while those on the body and tail have usual- 

 ly eight similar gi'cat spiniferous ribs, the radiate arrangement of which, 

 though very distinct, is not quite so marked : occasionally the last spine 

 of one rib or more projects beyond the edge of the scale. 



There are four rows of scales between the base of the first dorsal 

 fin and the scales of the lateral line. 



The first spine of the first dorsal fin is a mere tubercle ; the second, 

 which is not quite five-sixths the length of the snout, is smooth 

 throughout: the interval between the two dorsal fins is greater than the 

 extent of the base of the first. The pectorals are narrow and pointed, 

 and their length is not quite equal to that of the postorbital portion of 

 the head. The outer ray of the ventrals is prolonged, but is not quite 

 equal in length to the longest pectoral ray. 



Stomach large and siphonal : at least 40 large long pyloi-ic creca : 

 air-bladder small, and with a thin wall. 



Coloui's : dark stone-grey ; fins and pharyngo-brauchial walls blue- 

 black ; parietal peritoneum silvery-grey. 



Length 19 inches. 



Log. Station 160, Laccadive Sea, 719 fms. 



This species is very closely allied to M, japomcus Schleg.., M. 

 parallelus, Gthr., and M. qnadrkritstatas, mihi. 



