Putnam.] 160 [Nov. 19, 



hooks, and if thus united in the abdomen, when one was excluded 

 the rest would be obliged to follow, and the muscles of the abdomen 

 would also act along the whole chain in the effort of exclusion. 



The groove about the end of each egg case is probably a further 

 provision, in this most perfect structure, to allow the young fish to 

 make its escape from its tough case, and it will probably be found 

 that the absorption of the case takes place at this point, the end 

 dropping off like a cap at the proper time. 



SPECIES OF BDELLOSTOMA. 



Bdellostoma cirrhatum Giinther. 1 



Head (measured to last gill opening) about one-third of total 

 length, and contained about one and one-third times in length of 

 abdomen. Tail contained nine times in the total length. Base of 

 tongue between the anterior pair of gills. Gills six or seven on each side. 

 Length, 34 inches. 2 



Habitat, " South Africa; New Zealand ; ? Japan." (Giinther.) 



Bdellostoma polytrema Girard. 3 



Head about one-third of total length, 4 and contained about one 

 and one-half times in the length of the abdomen. Tail contained 

 seven to eight times in total length. Base of tongue between the 

 seventh or eighth pair of gills. Gills ten on each sides' Length from 

 1-3 to 22 inches. 



Habitat, Coast of Chili. 



1 1 have assumed Dr. Giinther's synonymy, and with hini question the habitat of 

 Japan for this species. 



2 These proportions, length and characters, are derived from the figures of Mul- 

 ler. The number of lingual teeth I consider as of generic value. Giinther gives 

 12 or 13 to the outer row, and 11 to the inner hi B. cirrhatum. In five specimens of 

 B. polytrema I found 13 in the outer row and 12 in the inner. In another specimen 

 I found only 12 teeth in the outer row, but the last tooth hi the outer row is very 

 small, and only developed in old specimens. 



3 This is unquestionably the species described by Lacepede, under the name of 

 Le Gastrobranche Dombey, and figured from a stuffed skin of a specimen collected 

 by Dombey in Chili, but I do not see any more reason for adopting a French name 

 than a common English name, and the law of priority must certainly be limited to 

 a proper expression of the binomial system in scientific language. I have therefore 

 adopted the name bestowed by Girard. 



4 In a specimen only thirteen inches long, the head was not quite one-third of the 

 total length. 



c Girard gives the gill openings as fourteen on each side, but it is very probable 

 that a few of the mucous pores were counted as Dr. Giinther suggests. 



