1873.] 135 [Putnam. 



are deposited by April or May, and that on the Grand Menan coast 

 many of the eggs would be mature about the first of winter. 



The characters of the single species at present known, 1 I should 

 express as follows. 



Myxine glutinosa Linn. 



Blue above, whitish below. Head contained in total length from 

 three and one half to four times ; in length of abdomen from two to 

 nearly three times. Tail contained in total length from six and one 

 half to ten times. Lingual teeth from eight to eleven in each row. 



Habitat. Northern coasts of Europe, northeastern coast of North 

 America, southern coast of South America. 



Variety septentrionalis. Head contained less than four times in 

 total length. Dorsal fin commencing over the anus. Habitat. North- 

 ern Atlantic. 



Variety limosa. Head contained four times in total length. Dorsal 

 fin commencing forward of a point over the anus. Habitat. Northern 

 Atlantic. 



Variety australis. Habitat. Southern coast of South America. 



As I have already stated, I consider these varieties as simply in- 

 dicating the extremes of variation in the species, and its geographi- 

 cal distribution, and not in any sense distinct forms. 



1 The following are the characters which Dr. Gunther, in his eighth volume of 

 Catalogue of Fishes in the British Museum, gives to the three species of the genus 

 which he acknowledges : — 



1. Myxine glutinosa Linn, [and of various authors, including the Gastro- 

 branchus emeus of Bloch, the Myxine cceca of Blainville, and the Myxine limosa of 

 Girard]. 



" Eight or nine rather slender teeth in each of the two series ; the two foremost 

 strongest and more confluent at the base than the others." 



" Coasts of Europe and North America." [Giinther's specimens were from the 

 Firth of Forth, and from Newcastle.] 



2. Myxine affinis Gunther. 



" Eleven rather stout teeth in each of the two series, the two foremost strongest 

 and more confluent at the base than the others. Body considerably more slender 

 than that of M. glutinosa." 



" Habitat unknown. The single specimen is twelve inches long." 



3. Myxine australis Jenyns, Voy. Beagle, Fish., p. 159. 



" Ten or eleven slender teeth in each of the two series, the three foremost are 

 strongest and confluent at the base, the other teeth remaining separate ; in the sec- 

 ond series the two innermost teeth are confluent at the base." 



" Southern coasts of South America." [Giinther's specimens were from Sandy 

 Point and the Tyssen Islands.] 



