of the Arabian Sea, 
301 
6. Macrurus Wood-Masoni , sp. n. 
B. 6. D. f/100 circ. A. circ. 105. P.21. V. 8. 
4 
L. lat. circ. 130. L. tr. i 
22 circ. 
The length of the head is nearly § that of the entire trunk, 
or between 4^ and 4§ in the total. The greatest height of 
the body is not quite J the length of the head. The tail is 
long and tapering. 
Snout trihedral, with strong median and lateral tubercles ; 
its length slightly exceeds the major diameter of the orbit, 
which is almost \ the head-length. 
The width of the interorbital space in the middle is equal 
to the vertical diameter of the orbit. 
Mouth completely inferior ; the maxilla reaches a short 
distance behind the vertical from the anterior border of the 
orbit. Small conical acute teeth in broad bands in both 
jaws. 
Barbel a small papilla, not equal in length to the vertical 
diameter of the posterior nostril. 
Gill-membranes broadly united. 
Body and head, except the glosso-hyal region, covered with 
rather deciduous spinigerous scales ; those on the body of a 
uniform size and deeply imbricate. There are four and a 
half rows between the first dorsal fin and the lateral line. A 
scale from the dorsal half of the trunk is ^ of an inch high by 
-5- of an inch broad, and bears about twenty short, longitu- 
dinal, parallel series of small, equal, semierect spinelets. 
First dorsal spine rudimentary; the second with numerous 
close-set recumbent barbs along its front edge. The interval 
between the first and second dorsal fins is double the length 
of the base of the first, or equal to the length of the post- 
orbital portion of the head. Ventrals with the outer ray 
slightly prolonged, reaching to the origin of the anal. 
Stomach siphonal ; the much-coiled intestine measures 
considerably more than the entire fish in length ; eleven or 
twelve long large pyloric caeca. A large spongy air-bladder. 
Colours in the fresh state : — Chocolate, with blackish fins ; 
oro-pharyngo-branchial membrane and parietal peritoneum 
black. 
One specimen — a female with gravid ovaries — measuring 
19£ inches in length. 
Station 104, 1000 fathoms. 
