538 Mr. J. Murray on Vertebrates collected 



In the following List the depths to which the trawl had been down 

 are given. Of course it is not asserted that the specimens came from 

 these depths; indeed we know that many of the Sternoptychidso and 

 Scopelidae are surface creatures. 



It will be seen from the list that all the fishes taken in the trawl or 

 dredge have been relegated to known families. The definitions of some 

 families will require to be altered in order to admit some of the new 

 forms ; but it is not thought that a new family will require to be esta- 

 blished. 



There are many new genera and species. The list includes the dredg- 

 ings in all the depths greater than 100 fathoms. If we had given only 

 the trawlings in depths greater than 500 fathoms, all the shore forms 

 which appear in the list would have been eliminated. Our dredgings and 

 trawlings in less than 100 fathoms do not once give a specimen of the 

 species so characteristic of the hauls in deep water. 



The deep-sea and oceanic forms belong to very few families. 



Stemojp tychidce. 



These occur at 40 stations, and over a hundred specimens have been 

 taken. Besides those from the trawl, small species have continually been 

 taken in the nets in warm regions. South of the latitude of 50° S. we 

 did not get a single species of this family. 



Many of the pelagic species occur both in the Atlantic and Pacific 

 Oceans, i. e. identical species. 



Macruridce 



occur at 24 stations, and about one hundred specimens have been taken. 

 They have been met with in all latitudes, and most frequently in depths 

 between 200 and 1000 fathoms. 



In this family we have many species which cannot be referred to exist- 

 ing genera. These fishes were almost always blown out and at times 

 even burst when taken from the bag of the trawl. Some of the species 

 appear to be universally distributed. 



OpMdiidce 

 occur at 18 stations, and 20 specimens have been taken. These fishes 

 would seem to inhabit deeper water than the Macrurids, as they have in 

 most cases been present in the trawl when it has been down to depths 

 greater than 1000 fathoms. All of them appear to be undescribed, 

 excepting Bythites fuscus (?). One specimen is quite blind ; in another, 

 which is semitransparent, the eyes are represented by small black dots. 

 These fishes are apparently universally distributed. 



ScopelidcB 

 occur 24 times, and 41 specimens have been taken. Many of these 

 are truly pelagic fishes, while others have characters which mark them 



