NOTES FROM THE O A STON COL'.EC L'ION. 



237 



Insertion of basal bones of dorsal fin just above upper basal angle of 

 pectorals ; insertion of first dorsal ray a little behind it, horizontal distance 4 

 in snout ; base of dorsal fin from insertion of first to that of last ray 3,4 in 

 head, height 1 , 5 in head ; base about 2,3 in height. 



Ventrals : the long ray is represented by a stiff, flexible rod, its distal 

 half irregularly curled, the tip itself bifid, black, but the two branchlets 

 intimately connected by a white membrane Distance from tip to base 3,3 

 in length of pectoral. A small wart-like prominence behind, at a distance 

 equal to that of the nostrils of one side ; it may signify a second abortive ray 

 Clavicles cartilaginous. 



On the tail the flattened interhaemal region is well defined against 

 the more rounded vertebral portion. Length of first interhaemals, so far 

 as is discernible from outside, about 3,2 in length of pectoral, becoming 

 gradually shorter towards end of tail ; first anal ray about 5 in length of 

 pectoral, the rays quickly attaining their greatest length, which is 2,5 in 

 length of pectoral ; length of rays practically the same from the fourth ray 

 till near end of tail, where they become a little shorter ; longest caudal rays 

 1,6 in length of pectoral ; no notch between anal and caudal. 



Color of body a fleshy brown, somewhat reminding one of that of a 

 dolphin's foetus ; lower parts whitish grey ; dorsal, caudal and a broad 

 border of anal fin blackish ; base of ventrals including the abortive ray dark 

 brown ; proximal half of ventral rays greyish brown, distal half white 

 except the tip which is black. Pectorals black with a large, white, some- 

 what irregularly shaped patch over membranes and rays in the middle 

 third of their length, not affecting the lowest part ; this white mark- 

 scarcely discernible on inner side of pectoral A white patch on the 

 uppermost portion of opercle, round in general outline, its diameter equal- 

 ing base of pectoral. Iris yellow. 



There are not man)' types of fishes which so manifestly betray 

 the mode of life by their external characters as the present. The 

 rather loose connection of the bones of the skull and the gelatinous tissues 

 combined with the great size point to the species being a deep-water-fish : 

 at the same time t^e firmness of the bones o f the skull and the color- 



