NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 
907 
Of Physostomi, the families of Sternoptychidse, Scopelidse, Stomiatidse, Salmonidse, 
Bathythrissidse, Alepocephalidse, Halosauridse, and Mursenidae are represented. Of 
these the Scopeloids are the most numerous, constituting nearly another fourth of the 
fauna. Salmonidse are scarce, with three small genera only. Bathythrissidse include 
one species only, which is probably confined in its vertical as well as horizontal range; it 
occurs at a depth of about 350 fathoms in the Sea of Japan. The Alepocephalidse and 
Halosauridse, known before the Challenger Expedition from isolated examples only, prove 
to be true, widely-spread, deep-sea types ; Eels are well represented, and seem to descend 
to the greatest depths. Myxine has been obtained from a depth of 345 fathoms. 
Monte Video. 
The Expedition remained at Monte Video ten days, refitting the ship and obtaining 
the necessary magnetic and other observations, and during this time several members of 
the Expedition visited Buenos Ayres. 
Fitz-Roy’s observing station could not be used, as Rat Island was appropriated for 
quarantine purposes. The surveyors therefore took observations on Point Lobos by the 
chimney of the pumping engine of the graving dock, and, as the ground thereabouts was 
rock, they found it to be a very convenient place. 
At Point Lobos a fine graving dock was in course of construction, 425 feet in length, 
56 feet in breadth, and with 20 feet over the sill at high water (16 at low), which 
will be sufficiently large for all the Monte Video traffic and trade up the river for 
some years. 
Supplies at this port were plentiful and cheap, beef 2d. to 3d. per lb., sheep 8s. each, 
potatoes Id. per lb., coals £2, 10s. per ton. Fruit (especially pears) was also cheap and 
of excellent quality. 
There was at the time of the visit of the Expedition no settled coinage in the 
Uruguay Republic. The nominal standard was a fictitious dollar with which the coins of 
other countries are compared. Thus an English sovereign was valued as $4 70 cents, an 
English florin as only 36 cents, a Peruvian dollar as 80 cents, a French five franc piece 96 
cents, and an American eagle $9 66 cents, &c. It was therefore necessary to be acquainted 
with the value allotted to the different coins here, especially in receiving change. 
The Gephyrea. — Professor Emil Selenka, who is engaged in the preparation of a 
Report on the Gephyrea collected during the Expedition, has forwarded the following 
note:— 
“ The number of Gephyrea collected and observed during the Challenger Expedition 
(ineluding a few from the ‘ Porcupine ; expedition) amounts to about thirty species, which 
may all be referred to known genera as follows : — 
