360 
U. S P. R. R EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
The genus Chimaera includes, so far, two species, one in the Atlantic, the other in the Pacific 
ocean. The Atlantic species is exclusively an Arctic fish, whilst that of the Pacific seems to he 
limited to the temperate zone. 
A similar instance occurs in regard to the species of Callorhynchus; one being an inhabitant 
of the Antarctic, the other of the Austral temperate zone. 
CHIMAERA COLLIEI, Benn. 
Spec. Char. —Head constituting about the sixth of the total length. First dorsal fin sub-triangular; the upper margin, 
which is directed posteriorly, being crescent shaped, whilst the posterior margin, properly so to be called, is horizontal and 
parallel with the back, to which it is united by a thin membrane. Second dorsal quite low and elongated, its origin being 
nearly opposite the insertion of the ventrals, which is nearly half way between the apex of the snout and the origin of the caudal 
fin. Its upper margin is undulating. Either lobe of the caudal tapering regularly away towards the tip of the tail, the lower 
lobe extending somewhat further back. Skin perfectly smooth ; brownish above ; dull white beneath ; the back and sides 
exhibiting numerous dull white rounded spots, variable in size. 
Syn. —Chimaera colliei, Benn. in Zool. Beechey ’s Voy. to the Pacif. 1839, 71., Plate xxiii, figs. 1 and 2.—Richards. Faun. 
Bor. Amer. Ill, 1836, 285. 
Elephant-fish, Vancouver. 
Skooma, Indians of Oregon. 
The specimens of this species which we have had an opportunity of examining are all of the 
female sex. The male is figured and described in “ The Zoology of Captain Beechey’s Voyage 
to the Pacific and Behring’s Strait,” as quoted above. 
The body is quite compressed, deepest anteriorly and tapering rapidly away posteriorly 
towards the acute and thread-like extremity of the caudal region. The gill apertures extend 
from the upper edge of the base of the pectorals downwards and forwards, being separated 
under the throat by a rather wide isthmus. We regret that the state of keeping of the speci¬ 
mens will not allow a minute description to be drawn of the structure of the nostrils in con¬ 
nection with the upper or anterior lip. A similar structure is so seldom met with in this class 
of fish that whenever it exists anywhere it cannot but excite the curiosity of the naturalist. 
The spine at the anterior margin of the dorsal fin is very finely serrated upon the upper half 
of its posterior aspect, which is flattened, either angle being serrated; the anterior aspect of 
the spine is convex and keeled. 
The ventrals being free from the appendages which the male is provided with, are propor¬ 
tionally larger and broader, posteriorly rounded off. 
The skin is perfectly smooth all over the head and body. The coloration in the female sex is 
similar to that of the male. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
lVo of’ 
spec. 
Sex & Age. 
Locality. 
When 
collected . 
Whence obtained. 
Nature of 
specimen. 
Oriff. 
No. 
Collected by— 
995 
i 
Adult Q ... 
Ft. Steilacoom,Puget’s Sound. 
1853 
Gov. I. 1. Stevens. 
Alcoholic. 
15 
Dr. Geo. Suckley 
996 
2 
Young Q .. 
Cape Flattery, W. T. 
1854 
Lieut. Trowbridge. 
Alcoholic. 
. 
Lt. Trowbridge . 
