220 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



the spinous dorsal represented by a tentacle in a cavity overhung by the 

 forehead, and the soft small and far behind ; the pectoral members 

 strongly geniculate, and with long pseudobrachia and three actinosts; 

 and the ventrals well developed. 

 Inhabitants of temperate and tropical seas at moderate or great depths. 



MALTHEDLE. 



Maltheids with a cordiform cephalic disk- and a stout caudal portion, 

 and with the frontal region elevated. 



MALTHE.* 



Maltheines of unique genus. 



Malthe vespertilio.t 



1758 — Lophius vespertilio, Linne, Syst. Nat., 10 ed., 1. 1, p. 236 (12 ed., t. 1, p. 402 ; Gmel. 

 ed., t. 1, p. 1480). 



1837 — Maltbea vespertilio, Cur. $ VaL, Hist. Nat. des Poissons, t. 12, p. 440. 

 1837 — MalchaBa nasuta, Cuv $ VaL, Hist. Nat. des Poissons, t. 12, p. 452. (In part.) 

 1837— Malthaea notata, Cuv. VaL, Hist. Nat. des Poissons, t. 12, p. 453. (In part.) 

 1842— Malthea nasuta, DeEay, Zoology of New York, Fishes, p. 167. (In part; not 

 figure.) 



1842 — Malthea notata, DeEay, Zoology of New York, Fishes, p. 167. 

 1842— Malthea vespertilio, DeEay, Zoology of New York, Fishes, p. 167. 

 1861 — Malthe vespertilio, Giinther, Cat. Fishes in Brit. Mus., v. 3, p. 200. 



Malthe with the forehead produced into a more or less elongated sub- 

 conical process, its width greater between the anterior angles of the 

 orbit than between the posterior ones, and the frontal cavity higher 

 than wide. 



Newfoundland to West Indies. 



Malthe cubifrons. 



1836— Lophius (Malthe) cubifrons, Richardson, Fauna Bor.-Am., Fishes, p. 103, pi. 96. 



1837 — Malfchaea nasuta, Cuv. Sf VaL, Hist. Nat. des Poissons, t. 12, p. 452. (In part.) 

 1842— Malthea nasuta, DcKay, Zoology of New York, Fishes, p. It6, pi. 28, f. 89. (In 



part, i. e. lig., copied from Richardson.) 

 1861 — Malthe cubifrons, Guuther, Cat. Fishes in Brit. Mus., v. 3, p. 203. 



Malthe with the forehead decurved and in front with a button-like 

 tubercle, the width between the anterior angle of the orbit nearly equal 



*Malthe, fiuMrj, the Greek name of a loose-bodied fish. — " Mu^#?7 signifiedo laeirora- 

 mollie. Oa trouve ce nom dans Oppien parmi ceux de plusieurs grands poissons cartila- 

 gineux, et l'espece qui le porte y est ddsigDee comrae remaiquable par sa mollesso. 

 Suidas, qui la place dans une duumc'ration du meme genre, dit qu'elle est difficile a, 

 vaincre. Sur ces deux traits B61on a peusd quo la malthe'e dtait la baudroie, et, bien 

 que son opinion n'ait pas 6i6 adoptde, et n'ait peut-etrepas dn l'etre, M. Cuvier a era 

 pouvoir s'en preValoir pour ddriver de fiu'Adr} le nom de malthcca, qu'il adonnd a an petit 

 genre dcinembrd de celui des baudroies."— Cuv. et. Val.. Hist. Nat. des Poissons, t. 12, 

 p. 438. • 



t Whatever may be the value of the nominal species introduced by Cuvier and Va- 

 lenciennes, all those found along the United States coast, recently examined by myself, 

 belong to one species. I think, however, that formerly I saw a second species of the 



M. rt'vptriilio type. 



