PHOSPHORESCENT SCOPELOIDS. 
483 
entirely naked; barbels are wanting; and the fatty fin is either rudimental or of 
very minute size. Both the premaxillae and maxillae take a share in the formation 
of the margin of the upper jaw, and bear pointed teeth of variable length. The 
bones of the gill-cover are not fully developed; the gill-opening is of great width; 
false gills may or may not be developed; and, when present, the air-bladder is of 
simple structure, d he ovaries are furnished witli ducts. Whereas in the figured 
species the teeth are small, in the allied genus Chauliodus they are greatly 
elongated, and thus indicate highly predaceous habits on the part of their owner. 
Hedgehog- The members of the second family, of which the bearded 
Mouths. hedgehog-mouth (Echiostoma barbatum), shown in the lower figure 
of our illustration, is taken as an example, may be readily distinguished from the 
SILVERY LIGHT-FISH, AND BARBED HEDGEHOG-MOUTH (| Iiat. size). 
preceding by the presence of a long barbel to the hyoid; the skin being either 
naked or covered with exceedingly delicate scales, and the fatty fin (as in the 
figured specimen) frequently wanting. In other characters these fishes closely 
resemble those of the preceding family. When a fatty fin is present, as in the 
genus Astronesthes, the rayed dorsal is of considerable length, and placed in 
advance of the anal; but in the other genera both the anal and dorsal are short, and 
placed opposite to one another a short distance in advance of the forked caudal. 
In the genus represented by the figured species, the body is naked and the pectoral 
fins are filamentous; but in the allied Stomias there are exceedingly small scales 
which scarcely overlap one another. Occasionally met with floating in a helpless 
condition, these fishes have been dredged from depths of eighteen hundred fathoms; 
and it will not escape the notice of the reader that, although dwelling in total 
darkness, they, like most of their allies, have well-developed eyes. On this point, 
