620. 
THE ICHTHYOLOGICAL PECULIARITIES 
OF THE BASSALIAN FAUNA. 
Tue author recalled the fact that he had 
recently proposed the name ‘ Bassalian realm ’ 
for the collective deep-sea faunas. At indefi- 
nite distances below the surface, deepest in the 
tropics, we find strange forms of animal life, 
which differ not only specifically and generi- 
cally from those of the superincumbent water, 
as well as from those of the cold extremes of 
the globe, but often represent quite distinct 
families. Those forms which live at moderate 
depths (existing, as they do, in cold water) are 
SCIENCE. 
[Vou. III.,. No. 68. 
mary of our knowledge of the fishes of the 
deep sea has been given by Dr. Gunther, in 
his ‘Introduction to the study of fishes’ (pp. 
296-311). According to Dr. Gunther, ‘* before 
the voyage of H. M.S. Challenger, scarcely 
thirty deep-sea fishes were known. ‘This num- 
ber is now much increased by the discovery of 
many new species and genera; but, singularly, 
no new types of families were discovered : 
nothing but what might have been expected 
from our previous knowledge of this group of 
fishes ’’ (p. 304). Dr. Gunther evidently for- 
got that he had himself proposed to distin- 
guish a peculiar family (Bathythrissidae) for 
EURYPHARYNX PELECANOIDES. 
related to, or even belong to, the polar faunas ; 
but, as we go still deeper, we find various other 
assemblages of animals. Those of the lowest 
horizons are often wonderfully modified ; and 
the deep-sea explorations of recent years have 
brought to light many very peculiar forms. 
Not the least remarkable of the several animal 
types, and in some respects the most remark- 
able, are the fishes. The only extended sum- 
1 Abstract of a paper by Dr. THEODORE GILL, read to the 
National academy of sciences, April 17, 1884. 
[The investigations carried on in connection with the French 
exploring-vessel Le Travailleur appear to confirm, as well as 
supplement, the results heretofore attained. Some of the new 
species have already been illustrated, and we here introduce 
figures of representatives of three of the most characteristic of 
the deep-sea types. These are Eurypharynx pelecanoides (the 
type of the family Eurypharyngidae and order Lyomeri), Macru- 
rus australis (a form of the widely distributed and rich family 
Macruridae), and Melanocetus Johnsoni (a representative of the 
deep-sea pediculate family of Ceratiidae). Additional figures 
will be found in another article in this number. — ED. | 
a deep-sea fish obtained by the Challenger ; 
and his generalization otherwise will not bear 
the test of confronting with the facts known 
even to him, much less those now known. In 
fact, the deep-sea fauna is surprisingly rich in 
peculiar forms of fishes; and no less: than 
twenty-eight families are either confined en- 
tirely to the deep sea, or represented elsewhere 
by mere stragglers. Three new family types 
were obtained during the past year. Further, 
two orders, the Lyomeri and the Carencheli, 
are only known from deep-sea representatives. 
The families that have been already distin- 
guished for the deep-loving fishes are twenty- 
eight in number.” Several of these have been 
2 Saccopharyngidae, Eurypharyngidae, Synaphobranchidae, 
Simenchelyidae, Nemichthyidae, Derichthyidae, N. otacanthidae, 
Tpnopidae, Chauliodontidae, Stomiatidae, Paralepididae, Alepi- 
