the bate ad ROH Be Ahr B ch EL, a arr MLD Sn thom tebe Ate th Marte eoiiv EL aA I eS re - PS. shee pa Se RTE RT ET LAE ET 2 : ee NY a TERE ID pee PT Tee : = ener. re" : Spas PPI EL EO I DNS ot eal Pie BAY oy pat Ewen ee Fe Spoeerer oe AL TLE ae : ee PTS i YI ee eee Neate MIO ; : ee SS rea ete Ce eT oe Ao, ae . CI Tg ae OLY ae IE LE Cree =e e m Aire at a os eines" ms roe os Ft ACE eee are ee TEE LO LLIN HL LM AL et ~ : : rowers Sonar eae LAB ate Sa apd eae ot gp PASTE ETRE LE ee SENT F » as xt - ore : renee = ae oe = = Wee Sapte EOE SET te Fo PIES, oer ; v : ; | apne fie SpE he Oa ie PRES AIL ENA SLAMS iat ae POE A EL LE ELI LEST reso : ae oe Sones eesti = a bE APES pear ne pias ge PA OH NCR AEE ss - ares : : = ES ee EE OST Sed IPG, IES LOCA rr oe ; renee “rhe Te ON Oar ease NO AERTS LOE EDIE sete ; : ee , ; 4 esa St MO, Ne” Seen! S63 Ff) Atty OFC; OLD eck sgagal gata oe anenetye y Y ipl ae 1 { f ; ; mi a 1 " i - ne ; ; ‘ i ¥ i 1 ¥. uy 1 , 7 e is 1 ~ 1 / Ties i i i he A 4 : 2 " ; n ; i f i 7, Fs a ne, 7 l | rf , : | e J b ® i | i i 4 P a a F ; ; i oe f ; ; a a, _ r : ie i " j = iu oT i 1 : 7 ; - 2 7 ft a y 7 i f i ; i t fi i i i ‘ Swit? ES ONTAN IUNSTITUTION. UNIIED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. INGOs Ee. THE FISHES NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA: A DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF THE SPECIES OF FISH-LIKE VERTEBRATES FOUND IN THE WATERS OF NORTH AMERICA, NORTILC OF THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. BY DAVID STARR JORDAN, Ph. D., PRESIDENT OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY AND OF THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, AND BARTON WARREN EVERMANN, Ph. D., ICHTHYOLOGIST OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. PARE Ek: WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1898. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM, THE FISHES OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA: A DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF THE SPECIES OF FISH-LIKE VERTEBRATES FOUND IN THE WATERS OF NORTH AMERICA, NORTH OF THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. BY DAVID STARR JORDAN, Pu. D., PRESIDENT OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY AND OF THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, AND BARTON WARREN EVERMANN, Pu. D., ICHTHYOLOGIST OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. PART. II. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 18098. The present volume is the second part of a work descriptive of the fishes of North and Middle America, including all species known to occur in American waters north of the equator and of the Isthmus of Panama. The first part was published on October 3, 1896, the present part, continu- ous with the first in pagination and numbering, appears on October 3, 1898, and the third and final part will soon follow. In this last will appear the general index, an artificial key to the families, a glossary of scientific terms, and an addendum containing all species overlooked or described subsequent to the publication of the part to which they belong. A fourth volume, or atlas, is composed entirely of plates. DAVID STARR JORDAN. BARTON WARREN EVERMANN. LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY, Pato ALTO, SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. March 15, 1898. (111) FABLE OF CONTENTS. CLASS III. PISCES—Continued. SUBCLASS TELEOSTOMI—Continued. ORDER BB. ACANTHOPTERI—Continued. Group Percoidea—Continued. Family OX LIX. Lutianide@.-...-------------+0+2222- 2222 creer eres Genus 523. Hoplopagrus, Gill...-..------------------------------ 1628. guntheri, Gill ...--.------------------ 2-2-2222 ee eee ree Genus 524. Evoplites, Gill.........--------------++--2 +2222 2 22> 1629. viridis (Valenciennes) .-----------------------++-++----- Genus 525. Neomeenis, Girard..-------------+-----+------+222++-- Subgenus Neomenis ....-------------++-022-+-220222rttr eter rece 1630. jordani, Gilbert ....--------------------++---+22--272-7- 1631. novemfasciatus (Gill) ..-----.-------------------+------- 1632. cyanopterus (Cuvier & Valenciennes) .------------------ 1633. griseus (Linnzus) -.-----------------------2----272-77- 1634. jocu (Bloch & Schneider) .----.-------------+--++--------- 1635. apodus (Walbaum)..-.---.---------------+++++++-2+----- 1636. argentiventris (Peters) ----.---------------+++++----+--- 1637. lutjanoides (Poey)----------------------+-+-2-er tee tt 1638. buccanella (Cuvier & Valenciennes) -.---.-------------- 1639. vivanus (Cuvier & Valenciennes) ..-.------------------ 1640. aya (Bloch). --..------------------------+----- Bing s sees 1641. analis (Cuvier & Valenciennes) ...-.-------------------- 1642. colorado (Jordan & Gilbert) ....------------------------ 1643. brachypterus (Cope) .--.------------------+--++--++----- 1644. guttatus (Steindachner) -.------------+----+---+---------- 1645. synagris (Linnewus) .-.--------------------+2-022-2-2577- 1646. ambiguus (Poey) -.------------------+-+- +2222 22500077 1647. mahogoni (Cuvier & Valenciennes)-.--.------------+---- Subgenus Raizero, Jordan & Fesler..---------------+---+------ 1648. aratus (Giinther) .--..------------------------+--+------ Genus 526. Rabirubia, Jordan & Fesler.....---.----------------- 1649. inermis (Peters)..-..----------------+------------------ Genus 527. Ocyurus, Gill .......-------------------+++-++-+2--+-2-- 1650. chrysurus (Bloch)...-...------------- -----+++----++++-- Genus 528. Rhomboplites (Gill)....--.--------------------+------- 1651. aurorubens (Cuvier & Valenciennes). --------- Peas Genus 529. Apsilus, Cuvier & Valenciennes ..--..------------------- Subgenus Tropidinus, Gill..----. .-----------------+++--+------- 1652. dentatus, Guichenot..-...---.---------------------+------ Genus 530. Aprion, Cuvier & Valenciennes... --.---.-------------- Subgenus Platyinius, Gill -...--.--------------+--+--------+--- 1653. macrophthalmus (Miiller & Troschel) ------------------ Genus 531. Etelis, Cuvier & Valenciennes -...-..------------------ 1654. oculatus (Cuvier & Valenciennes) --------------------- 1655. aquilonaris (Goode & Bean)...---------------+--------- Genus 532. Verilus, Poey.-.------------------+2222- 222 errr rites 1656. sordidus, Poey ..-.-.-------------ee0- 22 seer eee rere eee eee 1251 1252 Be ee lains 1254 1255 vi CONTENTS. CLASS III. PISCES—Continued. OrpDER BB. ACANTHOPTERI—Continued. Family CXLIX. Lutianide—Continued. Page. Genus 533. Xenocys, Jordan & Bollman -..-------------------+------------ 1285 1657. jessie, Jordan & Bollman...--.-----.-----:-----+--------+----- 1285 Genus 534. Xenistius, Jordan & Gilbert..-......------------------------ 1286 1658. californiensis (Steindachner) -.--------------------------------- 1286 Genus 535. Xenichthys, Gill .-.--..-------------------++-------- eats ea 1287 1659. agassizii, Steindachner-..-..--------------+-+--+------2-+-25---- 1287 1660. xanti, Gill. .-.----.------ 0-2 n nee oo nnn enn een ne nen nen n= 1287 Genus 536. Nemipterus, Swainson ...---------------+---++-++----+2----22- 1288 1661. macronemus (Giimther).------.....-----------+---+----+--------- 1289 Family OL. Hoemulid@.....-----++-2202 220s ee cece ee cere cece crest ster: 1289 Genus 537. Hzemulon, Cuvier---....-----------------+--------2222-------- 1291 1662. sexfasciatum, Gill ....--..---.----------20--------+------------ 1294 1663. album, Cuvier & Valenciennes ...-..--.-----------+---+-------- 1295 1664. macrostomum, Giinther --...-.-----.--------------------------- 1296 1665. bonariense, Cuvier & Valenciennes .....----------------------- 1297 1666. parra (Desmarest)-.-------------------+----+---- +2 eee eee eee ee 1297 1667. scadderi,, Gill 2222. joss cms cam see eae alam wail lain 1299 1668. carbonarium, Poey -----.------226-s22 05 -necce wenn eee eens 1300 1669. steindachneri (Jordan & Gilbert) ....------.---.--.------------ 1301 1670. melanurum (Linnzus)..-.--......---.--.------2----0------------ 1302 A671. ‘sciurus+4Shaw)io- a= es oe al eelere emt le eo eee late 1303 1672. plumieri (Lacépéde) ...-...------------------ +--+ 22-22-22 eee ee 1304 1673. flavolineatum (Desmarest) -......---.--------------00=-----s0es 1306 Genus 538. Brachygenys, Scudder....--.----.------------+--+---+-------- 1307 1674. chrysargyreus (Giinther)..--.----------------------+------------ 1307 Genus 539. Bathystoma, Scudder......----..----------- ----------5------ 1308 TG75. im abor (MOG AM 6s, Wal) re ators eee ere at ate ea ere 1308 1676. aurolineatum (Cuvier & Valenciennes) -.----------------------- 1310 NGG Elosennbiy Glib hee) hee case eee cc coos doce chessscoestscdueresencs 1310 Genus 540. Lythrulon, Jordan & Swain .......-....--------2------------- 1311 1678. flaviguttatum (Gill) ---..---.--.------------------------------=- 1312 1679. opalescens, Jordan & Starks ..-...- 22. 0c oc eec oan one oe eenn=ne 1312 Genus 5410 Orthostochius; Gill oo eee ees eee ee eee eee 1313 TGSO2 reece cal ceva cl aay Grn DS eae ae ett eee 1313 Genws042- Amisotremms, Gaile ce caterer ate tete ratte a 1314 Subgenus Paraconodon, Bleeker coco. aoe ects am ieleete ie leet el 1316 16ST paertiel (Gaui her) sae. ee oleae ee lee tee eee eee 1316 1682: cxesins:(J ordanvé& Gilhert)ijo.- sec cece eciceaeeeiseeieeieeee eee 1316 1683-0dewail (Gunther) ee ssesece- eeeee ese eee eee eee eee ets 1317 Subpenus AMISOCLEM US oot lee ole elmtnisteta relate late ete ela atlt eo 1318 1684. (surinamensiss (Bloch) eer e ee. sees eee eee eee eee eee 1318 L685" initerrup tus (Ga) eee eee esate rete aie tee leer te ae eit ete ee 1319 1686. bicolor (Castelnan) 2c... 22 ce oeewteesonieae eee ee eee eee 1319 1687 “scapularis: (2schud)) = coecaa-ceec eee eee eee eee eee eee 1320 1688. davidsonil (Steindachner)ecssc sereee ses sre eee eee eee 1321 16895 spleniatus (Ro0Gy) =es=s—- ease eee se ae ee eee eee eee eee 1321 1690. teniatus; Gill .c2 she eal e ease cas saeco cece ee eee eee 1322 1691; “virginicns ((einnseus) hae aera ae eee eee 1322 1692. serrula (Cuvier & Valenciennes) 22-2--2s-a2- 2 -2-= aie a 1323 Genus 543. Conodon, Cuvier & Valenciennes. .........--..-.-------.---- 1324 1693:. nobilis(Linnzeus) 2252252 .-22s" saeeiee see ee eee eee 1324 1694., serrifer,. Jordan & Gilbertsas-. esse ne ene seer sea eee 1324 Genus/544.-_Brachydeuterus, Gailleseso-ceoseeese seer ee eer eeeeene esas 1325 1695: -nitidusi(Steindachner)=2-ce45--ssesee eee ee eee eee 1326 1696: corvinseformis:(stemdachnen)sasen sass sees ela eee 1326 1697. leuciseus|( Gunther) esses =a === soe = se se cee ee cies ceca sone eee 1327 CONTENTS. VIL CLASS III. PISCES—Continued. ORDER BB. ACANTHOPTERI—Continued. Family CL. Hemulide—Continued. Page. NOOSs axillarige(s beIngdaAGANEL) 25 seco as oes Sacco s ee eects ccescox 1328 Genus 5450. (bomadasis acépedess-ame- sas see ae ease case nescecsccoac cee 1329 Subgenus Rhencus, Jordan & Evermann..-.----.---..----.--..--------- 1331 1699. panamensis (Steindachwner,) *etee- ee sce see sete eee cease scccccae 1331 Sab LOnussE MISuipOI aa CILWetee eae ment armenia tececne nena = ccs < 5.2 1331 1700; bayanus, J OLdan Se EVeEPMAanM 522252. ose Sescem eis c econ 3 sss 1331 Si Ole productus (POY) = news Sees soe es -sees cee sceeewe sec. S256 1332 A7O2sMAacCracan phys Gallen mes ce seem sees tenance mes castans aces a 1332 EU eh ee SUID CLE Te (SER TIA DOO) te atte ted areal let tae apn ee aae im aN iam eine) ater elata = ois lee 1332 Subgenus Rhonciscus, Jordan & Evermann......-...--.--..-.-.------- 1333 T(O4venocroi(Cuvmier wGeovValencionnes)ao+- coe s es cee cence ac eee cack 1333 Los braniekia(StemMdachner)s-sa-ce ste seen os seem ene ee ceecsossae ss 1333 IS, POU (DH osccos soa nodse os sana SS eao Soe soos coESSeeOes see 1334 Genus 546. Orthopristis, Girard..-..-....-..........---------- See tea 1334 SOU DEGINIGRWC Ty ray a Ga ooo sees coco seesouneee = Ob anole Neasc SOD SS aSOSe 1336 Oven torbesi worden, a Starkst one esas steesccsoctes cose se scae esse 1336 L708 yreddinet. Jordan é& Richardsom- 2-2 5-- 522222 st. s-22-o2ss-ssecce 1336 i092 chaleeuss (Gunther) a--~22'--- sesso se eaoee cess cl schessecceccns 1337 0S ChryBopLenus (iin Us) seem eer e ate ae eaten ee oa ane Solos mens 1338 Lite POR In SCUOG Olean een e enna acme ee eas ae cee ren ae oe alae 1339 Fils Canbharinws: (OS enyNs) casa sqc ae eee nee ete amare seas anise 1339 Subgenus Evapristis, Jordan & Evermann......--..---.--------------- 1340 MAS lethopristis,wordaned Hesler: = =-ss.-2220-s5-eeesesaa eee aeces s 1340 Genus ot elsaciellas Jordan: &Meslers--* S552 55-0seece 5 set cote se seecse 1340 114 brevipinniss (Steimdachner) \--ot~ oo s2- asses oes Sass kee aoe 1341 Genus5485 Microlepidotus. Gills == 2S ose poate casacesoce me toca scses ace 1341 Mito MelnOrnAtUSs Goll 2s = esos hee eee e ems ee eee ee Ue cet seicces 1341 Genus519.-Genyatremus; Gill. . 2: sci 5.505 sesh se ccc Ssce hee tc sescces 1342 LAGS lutens: (Boh) ea--2- steerer eee te eens st ae seseeee oe cece cats 1342 Raniily CiGL Spanidee 2aenesas sks ass ae Cae ease ce eeee ee nas oon ctaseanceeeat 1343 Genus 550. Otrynter, Jordan & Hvermapn =... -..---22-22.22-2-eeceseecee 1344 PT caprinus bean) 2stestess ase ens es eeiacewccns wocccceeetes cece ecss 1345 Genusiboly Stenovomus Gillies seen tee: besa ce Seance ect ene seeceds 1345 LAS. ChrySopsi (Mann eUS) sos tec se sses eae es a seeess suse sccncs eecsss 1346 1719. aculeatus (Cuvier & Valenciennes) -.-...----.---------+.------- 1346 Genus'5o2> Calamus, walnsonecssans.ne scenes ecss checkeeccecccecsc S 1347 SUD LenUsSiGalaMuUsvesaee pasette a sce elsa ae ae ae ec acieeme Sess atices 1349 120m calamns: (Cuvier é&- Valenciennes)! 202-252-222; Sent h ccc cc coc scc 1349 {Zi sproridens;.dordandsi\Gilbertsosse- coco as cece cet eae nttseceaccace 1350 Zee PORTA idl a GI C RON Ob 2 ae erie see See ae eat cs oes ee eles ois wiae 1351 1723. bajonado (Bloch & Schneider)-2+2=522-<-+1s.----222stss22-+----- 1352 Hubrenus-GrammMavceus woo ts .c Saat aaeeiae ite simeec Sew aticeines oe 1353 ii24ebrachysomusy (hocking ton) se -sacass ee es aces eeseececessece 1353 725 -eleNCOSbous, 0 OL ab de) Gil bert=ss--2~-2 seo sco assis ceciosseseee sass 1353 I 2GsFINACTO DS EL OC yr ese see seine nee coke cistciiee Sele eiwreiceis 1354 i212 bAUEINUS) (ENS) = Seats s see tae meee es eens oe ciscesees tes ssece 1354 1728; penna.(Cuvier.é& Valenciennes) 5225. -5c<--c+ooc-seeccecs----- = 1354 729 pareCuHTONS;: GOOUSrece bean nso ees setae see ee oecee cece c occas 1355 H/ BU SMeGiuseCLOOy) -asseeaee eee neato e ence as net es ee cinc~ cco. 1356 Genneioosssbagriny Covier seer cece toe ss seers een aclu Sen cecete 1356 1B eepasrosy nnn US) keene eset eae eee ee oes ck ette ccc sic one's ss 1356 Genus 0545 Larodon: Molbrook.eeae sees eos ect ecccsse cess seesse ce. 1857 Voce OMbold esi (ann aeas) ass ase. eee] ae ea aes wise e w clevicw cembaecs cea 1358 Cenusoon AncChosarcus, Gaillossscaacs sees seem enn aase ce enccse-scceeses 1358 Subgenus Salema, Jordan & Evermann ..........-..---.------------ee- 1359 iso MUM ACUIAtOS UE LOCh) =a aera nese ea sete a satan nce bese since ce = 1359 VIII CONTENTS. CLASS III. PISCES—Continued. ORDER BB. ACANTHOPTERI—Continued. Family COLI. Sparide—Continued. Page. 1734. pourtalesii (Steindachner)...--.-----------2----------- 2-2-0222 1360 1735. tridens (Poey) .---------- +--+ +--+. 2-0. wn 0 owen nn wenn se nen en s= == 1360 Subgenus Archosargus ---..--.----.------- 000-2 oe we nee nen n= == 1361 1736. probatocephalus (Walbaum).-...--.---------------------------- 1361 1737. aries (Cuvier & Valenciennes) isc osee so sees a eee eee 1361 Genus 556: Diplodus, Rafinesque --~ 2. <. - 1481 1868. lanceolatus (Bloch).----.----------------------- + +--+ eset cere: 1481 Genus 594. Pogonias, Lacépéde....---------------------+--2-2+-2- 2000+ 1482 1869. cromis (Linnwus) -.--...---------------------------- rere teri t 1482 1870. courbina (Lacépéde) ....--..---------------------++-++----+---> 1483 Genus 595. Aplodinotus, Rafinesque. --..----.----------------+----+-+----- 1483 1871. grunniens, Rafinesque---..-----------.--------+220 222222 te rete 1484 Genus 596. Eques, Bloch. .-..------.----------2+--2-- 2-2 ce see eee settee: 1484 Subgenus Pareques, Gill.-..------------------------ Ruaseeeeeeees aman 1486 1872. viola, Gilbert. -...-...--------+--------------- 222-22 e rere ree rteee 1486 1873. acuminatus (Bloch & Schneider) --..----.----------------------- 1487 1873a. acuminatus umbrosus, Jordan & Eigenmann.--..------------ 1487 1874. punctatus, Bloch & Schneider. --..----------------------------- 1488 1875. pulcher, Steindachner- -...--.------------------+-------5--++-7- 1489 Subgenus Hques -.----------------------- +--+ 222+ --2 22 tense teen terreno: 1489 1876. lanceolatus. (Linnzus)---....-----------------------+--++----+--- 1489 Group Cirrhitoidei ......---..---------------<-00- 2-2-2 22222 n-ne nese ne nee 1490 Family OLVI. Oirrhitidee .....---.------+-+---+--- 2220-22222 22ers 1490 Genus 597. Cirrhites, Lacépéde.-.-..-.---.-------------+-+- ++ 2-22 rtr crt: 1491 1877. rivulatus, Valenciennes .....-...---------------------------+--- 1491 1878. betaurus, Gill ........-------------2-------- = 2202-022 n errs eee 1492 SUBORDER HOLCONOTI. .-.---------<-------0 220-20 - =e enna nn =e nen nee- 1493 Family OL VII. Embiotocide....--.--.-------------+- 222222222 r errr 1493 Genus 598. Hysterocarpus, Gibbons ..-----------------------------+-+--- 1495 1879. traski, Gibbons -.-..--.-----------------2--e20+2 22-22 2er tren 1496 Genus 599. Abeona, Girard .......-------------------222-e cere este errr 1496 1880. minima (Gibbons) ----------.-----------------0-- ster eses tree 1497 1881. aurora, Jordan & Gilbert........---2+e2eeeeereeeesecceee aeeieiae 1497 XII CONTENTS. CLASS IIT. PISCES—Continued. ORDER BB. ACANTHOPTERI—Continued. Family OLVIT. Embiotocidea—Continued. Page. Genus 600. Cymatogaster, Gibbons .....---------------+---+------------- 1498 ASSO wageregalus: GIDDONS =< 1531 1932. basilaris, Gill & Bransford ......-..-------------------+----+-:- 1532 1933. nicarauguensis, Giinther ....------.---------------------- Jace 1532 1934. managuensis, Giinther -..---------.-----------------+------++--- 1533 1935. aureus, Gunther-----------..--- 2222-222. oo nnn cee ee eens 1533 1936. citrinellus, Giimther .....--.---..------------0------------------ 1534 1937. motaguensis, Giinther....-.----------------------++++---------- 1534 1938. oblongus, Giinther.-.....-..--..-----------------+-+-++---------+- 1535 19398 dovil, Gunther ---+ --2 c= == meen sea aemsacsiqne sa = 1535 1940. gibbiceps, Steindachner....--------------------+------+++------- 1536 1941. microphthalmus, Giinther. ..--.----.-------------+---+--+- ------ 1536 1942. urophthalmus, Giinther.......--------------------------+------- 1537 1943. troscheli, Steindachner.....--......--------------+----+----+--- 1537 1944. cyanoguttatus (Baird & Girard). -...-.---.--------------------- 1537 1945. pavonaceus, Garman..--.---------------------+-+--e-+----+-+---- 1538 1846. altifrons, Kner & Steindachner..-..--------------------------- 1538 SUS sa EMT ec 100 126k NN eee lat ml 1538 1948. tetracanthus (Cuvier & Valenciennes). --.------.--.------------ 1539 Genus 617. Theraps, Giinther..........-------------------+-+-+----------- 1540 1949. irregularis, Giinther...-..---.---------------+++--++---+-------- 1540 Genus 618. Neetroplus, Giinther......-..-----------+----------++---+-+--- 1541 1950. nematopus, Giinther.-..-..-.--------------------+++--+-----+---- 1541 1951. nicarauguensis, Gill & Bransford -...-.-------.----------------- 1542 Genus 619. Satanoperea, Giinther .....-.--..-----------++--------------- 1542 1952. crassilabris (Steindachner).--.-.-..------------------------------- 1542 Family OLIX. Pomacentrid@.......-.----------+-------2 2-2-2 eects treet: 1543 Genus 620. Azurina, Jordan & McGregor..-.-.-.--.---------------------- 1544 1953. hirundo, Jordan & McGregor .-..--..--.----------+---------+++--- 1544 Genus 621. Chromis, Cuvier......--..----------------------------+-2----- 1545 Subgenus Furcaria, Poey .....-------+------------------+2-terrer ert 1546 1954. atrilobatus, Gill..-....5-------2-.-.ceeeee 222-2 ese ne ene nee -- 1546 1955. cyaneus (Poey) ----.-------------- 2-2-2 eee eee eee eee 1547 1956. multilineatus (Guichenot)..-.------.--------------------------- 1547 Subgenus Ayresia, Cooper. ..------------------------++++-++-- 7-27-77 77> 1548 1957. punctipinnis (Cooper) ...-.-.-.-------------------+-+-+------7-- 1548 Subgenus Heliases, Cuvier & Valenciennes. ...-.----------------------- 1548 1958. insolatus (Cuvier & Valenciennes) ----..------------------------ 1548 1959. enchrysurus, Jordan & Gilbert ..------------------------------ 1548 Genus 622. Eupomacentrus, Bleeker. -...-..------------------+-++------>- 1549 Subgenus Eupomacentrus -.-.--.------------.-------+---+ 5-00 -c ccc etette 1551 1960. leucorus (Gilbert)......--------------------------- 22 eee eee e ee: 1551 1961. adustus (Troschel) .....-----------------+--2---- 2 center neers: 1551 XIV CONTENTS. CLASS III. PISCES—Continued. ORDER BB. ACANTHOPTERI—Continued. Family CLIX. Pomacentride—Continued. Page. 1962. fuscus (Cuvier & Valenciennes) .------------------------------- 1552 1963. dienczeus, Jordan & Rutter ..----..-..------------------------- 1552 1964. rectifrzentumn (Gill) <2 <= Sie am wre eel otal ae 1553 1965. analis (P0ey) = --2-- ~~ <1 21 welo am = = [oleinlsn lela eet 1554 1966. otophorus (Poey)-..-.------------------+------e---+------ -2----- 1555 1967. leucostictus (Miller & Troschel)--.---.....--..........-.-..---- 1555 1968) flaviventer (roschel) Pe. seer eaeeesanaiseeese ee eee ee 1557 1969) Hawa abi (Gall) aa antatate ssiere wt nte mittee ste tet te ese eet 1557 1970" paxrtitus; (POCY)) ses -= seem sei ee oe =e eleete oleae ee ae 1558 1971. planifrons (Cuvier & Valenciennes)....-.--....---------------- 1559 Genus 623: Nexilarius,; Gilbertsssecs eases - sae ete eee eee es eee 1559 1972: concolor (Gill). < 2.22 ssisciee soccer eacanaeeeee ee eeeite eee er ee 1559 Genus 624, -Abudetduf..Morskallass caresses eee eeeeen sere ere eee eee 1560 Subgenus Glyphisodon, Lacépéde............- 22. .-.----oee-------- === 1561 1973. saxatilis (Linnzus)!-. 52.22. ee eee eee eee eee eee eee eee eseee 1561 Subgenus Huschistodus, Gallo 2 serosa eel elelaeeiaee == cee 1562 1974: declivitrons (Gill) <.5.chsce eee eee cee eeeeeeeeeacneane eee eeee 1562 1975) analoens (Gill) ioe. aoa e eee ele aa eeee tae elias teeter 1563 1976:, taurus: (Mullersé&‘Troschel)reeseeseeeeneeee ene ee eee eee eee 1563 1977. rudis (Poey) == 2-2-6 Sea celee nee ciaelon eee eee ene eee 1563 Genus 625. ‘Hypsypops, Gill eon aaa eee eee eee ee eeieeeietete seer 1564 1978=rubicundus'(Girard) sce. .e-. eee eee ee ee eee eee Pi ate ehaitercosieeiine 1564 Genus 626°. MicrospathodonGunthers=---eeeeee eee eee eee ee eee eee eee 1565 1979:. bairdii (Gall): 2.22 oi: fo. aeeee eee eee eee (easmaeeereceareses 1566 1980. chrysurus (Cuvier & Valenciennes)..........----..------------ 1567 1981: niveatus, (Poy) = <2. 5 s/c tenes Soe eieteeee ds sialerae smeeeeae snes nee 1567 1982:dorsalis: (Gill) .ic2.. 22os oe eee ee eee eee Cee cee eee Eee 1568 SUBORDER, BHARYNGOGNATHI). 22. oscecjs ela niet pea amine ieeaeeereseeeee ieee 1571 Pamily OLX. Labridaein «8 522s. 1601 Genus 637.. Emmeekia, Jordan & Evermann.....--------------------- eee GO 2009. venusta (Jenkins & Evermann) --.-..--.-...------------------- 1602 Genus 638. Julidio, Jordan & Evermann-.-.-...-.-----.------.------------- 1602 AO, pole! (En ein) peestooces sceebeSssearooor eee Ieeenesaese oe seesnec 1602 2011. notospilus (Giinther)...---.--..--.----------------------------- 1603 Genus 639: Pseudojulis, Bleeker ---2--.-=----------------------------- == 1604 2012 imornabis, GuDOLt seen aa cee sea a cea = alae meee wenn mnie 1604 Oieteeme lan Otis Goll POR bse se ae teialelsene o= etna nel tala (eel mee a= === 1605 Genus 640. Chlorichthys, Swainson ....-..---------------------+--------- 1605 LN ASL Ux GUS SA RETLS I GrcTL) erate testes te oem oem loam 1607 2015s SOCORLOSUSIS: (GclL DOLL) state etter a= alate ele allem lla 1607 9016. nitidus (GunNtHeL)). -.---5css-o-cece ee nee acnisiee Seine sli 1626 Genus 648. Sparisoma, Swainson..-...... ee een tesceeieieisles asia 1627 Subgenus Sparisoma.......-.-----c-eccece- cen n neon nee e near eee eee nee 1630 2039. xystrodon, Jordan & Swain.....------++-+--2-2-:e22+ee eee eee e- 1630 2040. atomarium (Poey) .--..--.-------------------- 2-222 een eee eee 1631 2041. radians (Cuvier & Valenciennes).....-..-..---- See e ee eee ae et 1631 3030 II XVI CONTENTS. CLASS III. PISCES—Continued. ORDER BB. ACANTHOPTERI—Continued. Family OLXI. Scaride—Continued. Page. 2042. hoplomystax (Cope)---.-------0--- <2 022 en enon nnn cnc oenens 1632 2043. niphobles, Jordan & Bollman...-.--------+--+++2+22-2+220527 70> 1633 2044. aurofrenatum (Cuvier & Valenciennes)-..-----------++-+-+------- 1634 2045. oxybrachium (Poey).-----------+--+2222- 22 er eeere nner tees n ence 1634 2046. abildgaardi (Bloch)..-------------+++---+2220002eecctcc rete 1635 2047. distinctum (Poey).------------------- 20 renner tre 1635 2048. chrysopterum (Bloch & Schneider) ees see eee ee eee 1636 2049. lorito, Jordan & Swain.--.-----------------++222- 2-2 eer ere e 1637 2050. viride (Bonnaterre).--.---------+----------- oe trc etre eet cree 1638 Subgenus Euscarus, Jordan & Evermann..--..- SS cole ceisae cmon ener eae 1639 2051. strigatum (Giinther) ----..-------2-------++-+-22-er steerer tees 1639 2052. flavescens (Bloch & Schneider)...-------------- Ssmuscece eeceeee 1639 2053. rubripinne (Cuvier & Valenciennes) -.---.---------------------- 1640 2054. brachiale (Poey)-.-------------+++-------- 22-2 e ree terete 1641 2055. maschalespilos (Bleeker) .------------------------++---+----++-- 1641 2056. frondosum (Cuvier) -------------------------------------------- 1642 Genus 649. Scarus, Forskal..--.------.----------+--------- +2222 ee eee 1642 Subgenus Scarus...--.-----------------+----+ +--+ 222-22 reer eee eet: 1645 2057. punctulatus (Cuvier & Walenciennes)=aos---2c see ee eee 1645 2058. bollmani, Jordan & Evermann..-.--------------------+--------- 1646 2059. teeniopterus, Desmarest.--.---.------------------------++------ 1646 2060. aracanga (Giimther) .-...-------------------------++---+--+-+--- 1647 2061. trispinosus, Cuvier & Valenciennes. ....--.-------------------- 1648 9062. CGuzamilse, Bean=.- =. <-c- 2c = oes - ete elem imma nim min iniwininl=) ce Slo =] 1648 2063. vetula (Bloch & Schneider)....-.-.----------------------------- 1649 2064. gnathodus, Poey.....--------------++---+--+----0e- eee eee eee eee 1650 Subgenus Calliodon (Gronow) Schneider. ....-..--------------+----+--- 1650 DNG5s CLO OTSIS| (es OGM) veces eter ts era etm lle in eli 1650 DOG GAO OVU Leu TN ed 1k SLUT a een ote ei 1651 2067. flavomarginatus, Cuvier & Valenciennes.-..------.------------- 1652 20682 acutns, POG, soesse aoe melee meee ela la tale aie alain te mateo ets lela fontaine tal 1652 Ot Kens aolkaney (MSV Sa socss cs ekobcosou sab Ssobcoseronsddnecesscosse 1652 2070. emblematicus, Jordan & Rutter---...-..-...--..--------------- 1654 Genusi650., Psendoscarnus, bleekeneoo--escccm= oases 1655 Subgenus Pseudoscarus. -..-----------------------+--------------+----- 1655 9071. coelestinus (Cuvier & Valenciennes).--..--.----..---.------.---. 1655 2072. simplex, Poey-....---------------------------------=----------- 1656 2073. pleianus! (OGY) ieee = seem er eae eee 1656 Subgenus Loro, Jordan & Evermann..--.-.------------+--------- Seeeee ase 1657 2074. guacamaia (Cuvier) ----.- 2-22. so ooo in ew i = = 1657 2075. perrico (Jordan & Gilbert). .-----..--.---------5---------------- 1658 Group Zeoidea - ~~. -- <=. 255-2 =o nenien cine cere sea = = et ae re ee ee 1659 Family CLIT, Zewdees ae at aoe a ate= aie eae tee see eee 1659 Genus 651. Zenopsis, Gill............------------------------------------ 1660 20765) ocell atts) (Ss LORE) meee ee aaa eset al eee ello 1660 Genus 652. Zenion, Jordan & Evermann.....-.--- ene eatin ceeee ee eee ne 1661 207M.) hololepiss (Goode tse 1s eam) eer eeetetatee ete ara ee ee eae 1661 Genus 653. Oreosoma, Cuvier & Valenciennes...----...---.------........ 1662 2078. atlanticum, Cuvier & Valenciennes-...--...-.-...---...-..- teem 1662 Group Caproide@ar aa.) cstetes mais ta cla ata ei atete ota ale eet ata asl ati 1663 Family ODXILL, Caprowdee. .-- 22 co sa. = se re oa en wm wn ne nn ww n= n= 1663 Genus 654. Antigonia, Lowe--------.--.--------------. --------=------ 1664 ZO TOS CA LOS 10 Wie eee tee et eee le ea) ee 1665 SUBORDER | SQUANIMIPINNEDS ees eee cae sie seats eee ee ee re te ie ae rer OS) any) OFX AV oD RUD UL Oe ene ete eee eee Se eee 1666 Genus 655. Chetodipterus, Lacépéde-.-- 2. oe... ee 1667 CONTENTS. XVII CLASS III. PISCES—Continued. ORDER BB. ACANTHOPTERI—Continued. Family CLXIV. Ephippide—Continued. Page. DNSHeRtaber (Co TOUSSOUOU) =e aap eee pee ee neese le eeisiele lene isiaa ate imla win l~ sini 1668 DOSiee ZONabIS Garand) pees sae ae ee een eee mine = aeieiel=\< = == = === 1668 Genus 656. Parapsettus, Steindachner..-.....-..------------------------- 1669 2082. panamensis, Steindachner.-.----.--..--------------------------- 1669 Family OLXV. Chetodontide@......--..------------+-------++-+----+-+-------- 1669 Genus 657. Prognathodes, Gill.--..----.--.-...-------------------------- 1671 JOSS ene ahs) (LOGY) eee ate cto eet aie elle a alate =a = mini =i =~ 1671 Genus 658. Forcipiger, Jordan & McGregor ..--.---.-------------------- 1671 2084. flavissimus, Jordan & McGregor -....-...--.----.--------------- 1671 Genus 659. Cheetodon (Artedi) Linnteus----..--..--.-.-.---..----------- 1672 Subgenus Cheetodontops, Bleeker-.-...----.----.--.----------------+--- 1673 2085. nigrirostris (Gill) -----------------------!------------+----=---- 1673 DOSGsOCel lati LOC Large estar erate meee tee eet esl 1674 20) ee Enc 17 ATS VENT oer teal fasta oa acto ete teeteat eye iael 1674 2088. sedentarius, Poey .-.....---------------------2--2+----=--00---- 1675 2089. aya, Jordan ..-..-...---------------------------=--------------- 1675 2090. ateniatus (Poey) -------.-----.2-------------- Se OR ere Fae 1676 ZOO Wee GI UUs AMER ULS etre ais alee ee lee ele a ele ee ane mallee = 1677 Subgenus Chietodon -.-...----------------------------------------+-+--- 1677 2092. capistratus, Linneeus..-.-.------------------------------------- 1677 VD Sei yTsL GOs os EEL Ls Eee ee tee eae al ratte ote 1678 Genus 660: Pomacanthus, Lacépéde ---.--.-..--.--:----2----------------- 1679 Subgenus Pomacanthus--.---.---.------.------------------------------ 1679 DUS Aewor C ues Ola BITS UES) eta atate lata aietere es ise aaa i ei elaine eee ote minora 1679 Deve cn PD AGUA NHL LO GIN) ere aparece teehee aaa mate atalino) 1680 Subgenus Pomacanthodes, Gill----.-------- Ee Ree Nee a ene eee 1681 I NES eZ YUE) CSC x LLL) pete eee teeta lees ott oer anetela erm Bytes 8h) eee 1681 Genus 661- Holacanthus, Wacépede-=2------2-------- ne-- == = = 1682 DDO Tan PASBEIs OVAL OM CLONING S rete tate te ate a ee ara ole ie lami lnsolnla 1682 DUS eG lariGnensigen Gil D Olte seem eens ates eect serena eee a aeteiecleie aire 1683 D0Soentricolors (is lOGh) pesaee ee esa sae ete ee ee ieee ete ee ane 1684 Genus 662. Angelichthys, Jordan & Evermann ..-...-.------------------ 1684 TOO Mell arrs (lawn SOUS pee eae re nee cei se eeee mea cece T= = 1684 210i aisabelita«sordanndcewutteR=c--sesc oem see eee eee ss. 1685 Dilip Tesla onsenal Ce I ROP ae Agteeeacerian aaoteecomdaachoedesenedc 1686 HB exe ay in CDG NGA VMs AIL ELE CCE aerate tee ema etal ao oh heal oe not 1687 Genus 663. Zanclus, Cuvier & Valenciennes ........---.--.-------------- 1687 NO ee COTTA GES (VIMAR SUES) hee tee tats ot tras ils mete at ola acta ote aioe 1687 NOTA ps ONG VEL eet LE LIED U8 CLO8 teratetat state atoll elm ol ela = emia) = ota atime los = lel) tal l= 1688 GamiisiGb4 ae Menthiswninmnre usecase nicee ee ste eel ee ete eee eeeteonicein asia 1689 2104. triostegsus (Linnzeus)-----..----------- ==. ae 1690 2105s ceruleus.(bloch saschneider)s- <2 =5 5-05. 2-28 sea -e = eins = === 1691 S106 shepatus linn us) see ee nee eine eae ai 1691 DOVSCrOSLONIS ys OLG Ane do NS UAE KS ais oe cee alee Sains aes cloeicea = -ne sina 1692 OO8s DahianisniCastlenaw) boosts sects ceeeceria = 2S ieee arc ciceeellm 1693 2O9Rsalval anWuessom)ecereeecaoe ee este sete eee cmrc=) ececetemacccses sos = 1693 Genus 665. Xesurus, Jordan & Evermann.-........-.--.---.-------------- 1694 ZL panctabuss (Gall) =a eee eee ee nein eae acces 1694 Plilieeclariomis: Gilberbe dn Stakes meee == sam Seeicioiiem ona siemens = = === 1695 DADS latielavans: (Valenciennes) = assesses se = ens acct eienciee = cle >= = 1695 ORDER Co GE ODO GANA NNER calor eet te faPaieioin lor eta -teistel= we eiesieiee ata ta sisiaie = ainiste i= ae ee 1696 SUBORDER SCLERODERMI..-.------- Be reer rane ee ane winie'ele we eane ee 1697 TUR Oke VEE a ETE CON OAC som eae ee oe oe ae ae eerie san 1697 Genusi666;, Hollardia ~Poey =22- -5=--- ----= 2+-2a6 =~ 22s oneness --s-----=-= 1697 Ze ebollarditPoey cesses ee Ge See ses rere a ah Shes /ale nie 1698 Bonmiily” OXGEXG VB cist dee estate ain ae sess eee iis inte =e =e = een ee === == = 1698 XVIII CONTENTS. CLASS III. PICES—Continued. ORDER BB. ACANTHOPTERI—Continued. Family CLXITX. Balistide—Continued. Page. Genus 667,sbalistest(-Accteda) sa inmeeusyoe ee salem eee ese sin ete Seer 1699 Subsenus! Caprisems; HaAlnesqUes. as am = see a= alee seen ie eae alate 1700 ZA POlylepis, Scene AChNel sees er eres] essr reser eee aan eee = ee 1700 PAGIEY soporte Hh G4 SUE) CooneapesooroaSooseseseeGeeesas sec 1700 D165 carolinensis; Gmelimesrse-reerseceeeeeeaceaeee STE ee meena a 1701 CAN ee OL Gp atels acl © LIN aera eta eile oer etal aera eee ee 1702 Subgenus Balistes ------- Be einige ne Se Seno Oa ee eee eae ante ee eet 1703 21185 vetula WInneeus ces. sce cee Sekonis asec esses pee + eke isco cee 5 escee = 1703 Genus 668. Pachynathus, Swainson —-------.-- 2-2 te oe 1703 BGS capistratosn (Shaw) l= sessse see eee eeoeaae cere ne smear aaa 1704 Genus 669; Canthidermis, Swainson -s--------esee-- sso -co-hs occ] s cesa ce 1705 212 OPES OD ACO wk: OG War eres eee eae estes eal ee aie een eee ite mete ria 1705 221 suflamen: (Mitel) os- secme seciese et Sees oe eaee scissile eicies cae 1706 2122 -maculatusa(bloch)tiesscoceret see see see cre ese eee eee ke eee 1706 212d will sh bem (avid BONN Gbb) pecs asso senee eae see eee 1707 Genwsi670) xan ti chithiys: eka ares a spain west eeaie eler olen ala sone Jers} Bld erin ONS i (ENN ees) lesa eee ie eee ee ieee ieee ee eae 1709 2125: ementol (Ord an cciGll bent) seeseee sn eaeee tee eee ere Clee ee eee 1710 Genus! 6712 Melichthys Swalhson.c- secs ses- eer eee eee ae as eeas 1711 PAP eine! (WECGN)). sae sous soseubeoe sabossSaseosssSsassssonosSOsssse= 1711 21275 DIS PINOSUS | Gall bert neers eae eee ee eee eee eet siete 1711 amily OT Xe MONACHA eee ee ee eee eee nee eee eee ee 1712 Genus) 6725 Cantherimes ss walnsone a: asmsee oe ee asin ate a 1713 2128 5e pullus! (aNiZ aM) yee ers aoa eee ee eee ace ena eee ei 1713 ZIPOMCaLolee dj OLdanuccwVl Cc GLOe OF ees sa2e eee eee eee eres 1713 Genus 6735 Monacanthuss Cuvier sese--na-see ea e- are eerie eee eee eas 1714 230s cilhatus (Maite hill) os Css aecee ee eee pee maee ena aress- eres 1714 213i ehispid as) (inne S) wee e 2 eee cise ee se eee ees Seeeeeee 1715 S2eeS PLLONO LOS) OOP Cerra. ae aaiatereiae ea lete atelier ee eae 1716 2133 sO pp OSINUS pROCVaew ese oes ae see sees ee ee See See eee eee ae 1716 Genus 674— Pseudomonacanthus, Bleeker 22-2. acces secre Se aeee eee 1717 ZiT SE ae AED DD HNL ys (| © OPC where eat et a le 1717 Genus 675.eAlutera Civils es moe celoles ieee aloe ers oe eee ater iac ieee 1717 Subgenus! Ceratacanthns) Gills See eee seer eee eee eee eee 1718 YB, ON NOAM Eb) =o sh550 5552 gs b esos se daSs sae se se soscdss-s6 1718 lis Gaus POULIN © Ged Gg AC SS ole lee ete ee ee eee 1718 Subgenus Osbeckia, Jordan & Evermann..-......---- Se tee eee eee ote 1719 2137 scrupta(Osbeck).cosce easeecceneee teen eee eee 17i9 SED Pe mUIS A NCCT a rere tera arate ete ae oleae wee ee tet 1720 2138) monoceros: (OSbeck)\; 22 -caceee a eae ete ee elses een eee eee 1720 HUBORD ER OS TRAC OD HRN Merete rere rates ete ee tee eter eee a 1720 RamilynC LX. “OS Cid 0b eos cclseas coe er ee eos ee eee ee en ete eee 1721 Genus 676. Lactophrys, Swainson. ..........-------.------------ ee 1721 Subcenus RhinesomuUs,. Swain SONes—esae eee ieee ee eee 1722 Zid OUELG Ue LOT (CIE co US) mete aie ies stare late = eta eee tear 1722 Subgenus Chapinus, Jordan & Evermann..--.-....-----.---------------- 1723 2140. bicaudalis (Linnzgeus)-.-...--. He S ES Sapeee cee see eockiee base 1723 Subsenus acto phyrys ees a= cetera ee sae ate ae atten ra 1723 2141. trigonus (Linnzus) --. .--.--- ae aoe nee eee sieetaats 1723 Subgenus Acanthostracion, Bleeker. -..--------------<--ce0c0-------= 1724 2142S tricornis! (linnsus) 2242.2 odsocs see ee se eee ee eee erate ate 1724 SUBORDER Gavin ODO NAES tate m a taaisteratela state la eet ata lo ete ee te ale a 1726 TROTTED PNOXAIN eh OCT LO LO TUUUCL OS tare re sae eee le tee ee ee ere ee 1726 Genus 677. Lagocephalus, Swainson ..-....--..--..--...-.-.....---.----- 1727 AMA TSS scx Wak $A ty ULSI (OL a LIEN CRS TLS) fa wat eee i a 1728 2144. pachy cephalus (Ranzami)\: << 2c ce aces om on wm me oe nle alaeiae ale 1728 CONTENTS. XIX CLASS IIT. PISCES—Continued. ORDER LB. ACANTHOPTERI—Continued. Family CLXXIT, Tetraodontide—Continued. Page. Genusi67ss opheroides, Macépede p22. oe =~ cee noes enna ae anccde wc e~ == 1729 SUD PCMUS SpHelotl Oser ceme reer er eee meres ee aa wets stolen crsein 1731 2 ea SIR OTS EAL NTO DCS TIY EUS) eee eee ake eee ie aaa 1731 DIAG ODALMSR( SLOING a CHNOL) ee eat ae eae a eee lars Sree ie ea ois erect mori 1781 PAG. sealer (UBC) -- 535 5eccece sSss5esuSsee sos SSesssesose sso sese Sass 1732 DMS smaculatus (Blociné schneider) 2-0-2 aes eee eeceeaaes-lecesiecs ace = 1824 2220 cnrysomelass (jordan é) Gilibert)=2- sce sseaeeee ese es eee 1825 2250 ENO DRLOSUSE CAGYIRES) eee rire ee tee cieicie anes eyetes alam seems ces eras 1826 SUPE E|nus se DAStiC huni ss Ccllltecem sees ee eige = faa e eisai eee soe 1827 Zest eLiiceps) (Orda dei Glibert)rasse-nicee eee ceetieninee este eeee ene 1827 22 d2 eT OCI CHLST (ACTOS) terete see ataee ate ele eee ste ease series eis 1827 Genusi69ll Ss Sebastopis Gill ate ee casemccsis esos snossa assesses cscs eoseue 183 2Upomey MS eeOrd ali cal Grill Qribes see oe ee ee ele sive niet eryat= eens 1835 Genns!692' Helicolonuss Gooderde Beanle -sseer sactisccmn-cesaceeecesecins ec 1836 2234. dactylopterus (De la Roche)......-------.------ SEM a senses 3 1837 2235 IMAderensis; Goode: ci beanase- ess as see Geek cece acer ascs cose cals 1837 Genus 693. Scorpzena (Artedi) Linnzeus ..............--.----.------- eee S39) 2250 BAP ASSIZi1 GOON dc OAM ie as seas somes ear eee ees acin=)\aciee oot 1840 22d (CrisLulatayGO0de 6c beanie aah eels seeenisireceeeee esceerese cess oe 1841 2238. brasiliensis, Cuvier & Valenciennes....-....-..--------c------- 1842 D200 a MISbLION CD VMS) ace noe cine sae «oe = icem esol denin cl seonmeeteas sapere 1843 2240 pannosa; Cramer) 2c <2 - - 25 seins eis ena e cece cle oa se oe Se = 1845 od em OM ivan Galante aera tate estes sarseete aia ate estan aia ate etal 1847 2242 SPLUMNEPT BLOCWE weceen sales e Sales sine oe oie) a tae wala a aiwigiee = Seise =edioe 2a 1848 a DAS SRTINY S UCN we ON CAMO) 9 GATS GS meets eter ata eae ni tial oa orare ne ee ell 1849 2244. grandicornis, Cuvier & Valenciennes..-..-...-----.----..---.--- 1850 Ded De RASSULa MOLAAN do POMM AMS wares secmeisce con aace Aeem seme cae 1851 D245 SONOLEDS eo GMeINS hee CR VETO AMM saa eases seveein wie semis Severe eras 1852 Dod einermisy Cuvier ea Val enClenmMesiasaseccias soos ase oce see eeaccer 1853 OG ce COTTE So CO nel ae tte 1854 2248. mMacrolepis:| GOOG) dc BOANts.-- a ccee aces seloe = =e sass icles 1855 2249 BCBS tOLT ROG Yheem tees ee eee eee soeiniels oe eeiaeieeetae ena eee 1856 225 On gO MUU EO yest ater este tetetete ete ora relate ete tala oie tens eroiaiat es 1857 220 era O py uml; GOO Or6cs beanies pes isa = aerate see ee clei aieieia ees nae 1857 2252. longispinis, Goode & Beam: ----..0 <--- == scemeininen cee enee ee n= == 1858 JO 5smisiotrey (Gull ent) meen esas weet sector oi ne unt seeesae oon sac 1859 Genns69os setarches, Johns ONeesece ciesanc-cee acces ee eater SSaissie 1860 Pe ana PD EISEN CTA 1a ox COO era reat eee tetera etal ee ae aie oreo iat atte 1860 FAY EC LX XGV ALE, VAIO DLOP ONL LUO Cex iam in mieten -int=ain eiaiainiel emis 2)-eieln iio = === == = 1861 Geniisi696s7Amoplopomia Aly LOS) etal arse eteie = oe sie siaininie ete elaine =a 1861 OSs TIa (All aS) een eee cien se Sass ociciasiacieieae ones a alecicleis Since laec'= 1862 Are SOO emer ULE PLS Corelle rept tet terael Selene miele tereianeine =taieimierslaia(s ele mielel=1=|=Fa 1862 POO eZ ONUULS IN (GO CGA OG OT peter teat tata alata steely ate sa alte lial 1863 HCA CORONA VETO ET ee EL OT- OL GT ONTUIIULC CO yam nn ate mers eterno eee = eee =o 1863 Genus 9s ela euro mami sy Goll eer eaiee sae a se ieee ieiniaia eer ae 1864 22D ee MONOPLELY SUS! (AU AS) eee ealeletm alee ear ale lela lalate alle =I init =o 1864 Genus 699. Hexagrammos (Steller) Tilesius..-.-.....-.--..---------------- 1866 2258, decagrammus (Pallas)=--....---..-----..:---=------------------ 1867 2209) octogrammius| (Pallas)) 2222-2 se. mine cine = eo == in inl 1869 SO HOMatellenrbilesimsieemsea cece er nisten cite corer cic ck cle aries ieee === 1871 2261. superciliosus (Pallas) -..--....-...----------------------------- 1872 2262. lagocephalus (Pallas) -.---------.--------.--+------------+---=---- 1873 Genus/00) Ophiodon; Girard] s.5-2--2---2--2 <6 2c =2 = soe = - n-ne 1875 2263, Clone ats Granar deme eee eee eisiniajaielele = om 1962 2300 my PLINCEPSs Gull DEL as eie =i es ae eee seas Sells ora omic. ee nie sina ismiciale cele 1962 Genus 730. Uranidea, De Kay.....- Bests patore etic toteisia wjateietsis cuiew swic's's ws ciaiaiasletare 1963 2550 mbendinela (sean) seco ae tk cae eas Soe ciel ine Hole cole siersocm cies aoeecse's 1964 Dod eLeON elm Gren bide) CULGEl sec saree cceee sates oiciers a e.e = = cicleiclsieiee 1965 BASOMmINAT CU Atay SO anes oeeemte ieee see nclsee se <= se eicic c- -a:5)2 eine oleae ale 1965 Jo 9sMOENIIS SE VELM Ann Ge MGC ks. =4 cic cin cle ees bwin aicie wisn ve ulcieleses 1966 XXIV CONTENTS. CLASS III. PICES—Continued. ORDER BB. ACANTHOPTER!—Continued. Family CLXXIX. Cottide—Continued, Page. Pod Oemetreumn eel ray (CAND A SSI) yee teeta telnet stall lle lat ate aman oem lateral 1967 23 Sil KL TAT te ERO seat che a ets elacel a atta tee otalelaetersion acta tec acetate 1967 Zot oe CACHISh (ECCKO)) Pemeeciete sesame aren ee eee somtetelaratetaie tate atte 1968 Beds oeLOGM Osa (Glial Cbs -- iriclopsis; Girarden--sse senses eee eee ee oee ee eeet cee ceeee re 2005 2514) thOMpSOniy Guinarderes eee se eee aes etieeciwienid aes coacclss 2005 Genusi741 7G ymnocanthusso walls Ones eer eee eer eee eeee eee eee eee 2006 23719.) pistilli rer (Pallas) ieee eer ee ate ee ees cise ciste rics sere 2006 23164 tHe Uspist Rein ae) = eee ee eee Cone Ree eee eae 2008 2377: .galeatus) (Bean) iso: sac sce eo eeserine cies seiciden/s Sececiecins a scse sce 2010 Genus 742) 7eiocottus: (Girard sas--egs cen aeee eee ence ceeen nee eaoeceese 2010 2a(s nino d ow Girardin ecsticemc rece ses nese ree hon Sasenie ccs cnoeaac 2011 Genusw4e2 Meptocottus; Gimard.-cn os -semedsae se eee sae ee -ee ea eee 2011 2319) armacus., Girardieseos Weeascase antsececeeenio- - sess ces cee eee 2012 Genus44 3 Clinocottus MGille ss 2 eee aneecce cemecitecince cis cinan Diane en eeee 2012 CONTENTS. XXV CLASS III. PISCES—Continued. OrpDER BB. ACANTHOHTERI—Continued. Family CLXXTIX. Oottide—Continued. Page. 2380. analis (Girard) -.-.------------------- 22-22-2222 22ers eee eee: 2012 Genus 745. Oligocottus, Girard ..----------------------+--------+--++----- 2013 2381. maculosus, Girard..-.-.-.------------------------+---- 27-4 20-e---- 2013 2382. borealis, Jordan & Snyder.------------------------++-+-+++--+--- 2014 Genus 746. Oxycottus, Jordan & Evermann....-------------------++----- 2015 9383. acuticeps (Gilbert) .-.-.--------------------- 22222-2222 e eee 2015 Genus 747. Blennicottus, Gill.....-.....-------------+---------+-++---+--- 2016 2384. embryum (Jordan & Starks)...--.---.--------------+----+------ 2016 2385. globiceps (Girard).------------------+++---+---+---e02 crt crit eee 2017 2385a. bryosus, Jordan & Starks...--.----------------------------- 2017 Genus 748. Histiocottus, Gill....--...-------------------+-------------->- 2018 2386. bilobus (Cuvier & Valenciennes) ------------------------------- 2018 Genus 749. Blepsias, Cuvier..-------------------------+++------+20200+-7- 2018 2387. cirrhosus (Pallas) ..-----------------------------22rrr crt 2018 Genus 750. Nautiscus, Jordan & Evermann..---------------------------- 2019 4 2388. pribilovius, Jordan & Gilbert.-.---------------------+---++----- 2015 Genus 751. Nautichthys, Girard .....--.--------------+---++-+-------++-7-- 2020 2389. oculofasciatus (Girard).-.-..-.-------------------------++--+------- 2021 Genus 752. Ulea, Jordan & Evermann....----------------+---------------- 2021 2390. marmorata (Bean).--.----------------------+22-2200t tent 2021 Genus 753. Hemitripterus, Cuvier ------------------------------+-++-7-7-- 2022 9391. americanus (Gmelin)...-.------------------------+-+--+++-------> 2023 2392. cavifrons, Lockington .--.----.------------------++--+++---2--77-7- 2023 Genus 754. Synchirus, Bean. -------------------+---------- +++ 7+ -----"--= 2023 9393 vorllngiis Gants eels eee ar ela ar alma acto reer 2024 Genus 755. Ascelichthys, Jordan & Gilbert..---------------------------- 2024 2394. rhodorus, Jordan & Gilberti---.-------------------------------- 2025 Genus 756. Psychrolutes, Giinther-.---.--------------------+-+++++---+-7: 2025 2395. paradoxus, Giinther----------------------------------+-2-20077- 2026 Genus 757. Gilbertina, Jordan & Starks ..------------------------------- 2027 2396. sigolutes, Jordan & Starks...-.----------------------++++00+--- 2028 Family CLXXX. Ramphocottid@....--------------+++++---2- 20222 cet tttrt te 2029 Genus 758. Ramphocottus, Giimther- ------------------+--+--------+----+-++- 2030 2397. richardsoni, Giinther .---------------------+---------------+++-- 2030 Family OLXXXI. Agonide .-..--------+--------- 222-2222 errr eee rrr 2031 Genus 759. Percis, Scopoli....-.-.--.------------------2 +2222 errcrsttr ee 2033 2398. japonicus (Pallas) -....---------------+---22ere-ee eters ete 2034 Genus 760. Agonomalus, Guichenot. --.-----------------------+--- +0007 7- 2036 2399. proboscidalis (Valenciennes) -.--------------------------------- 2037 Genus 761. Hypsagonus, Gill .----------------------------+----------0777- 2038 2400. quadricornis (Cuvier & Valenciennes). --..--------------------- 2038 Genus 762. Stellerina, Cramer..--------------------------+---2222 27-7 7- 2041 2401. xyosterna (Jordan & Gilbert) .--------------+---------+---++-7- 2042 Genus 763. Occa, Jordan & Evermann..--.-----------------+-+---++++-+-- 2043 2402. verrucosa (Lockington) ----..----------------------+--5-- 7 rr e- 2043 2403. dodecaedron (Tilesius) .--.-------------------------+-20r 2c 7 > 2044 Genns 764. Brachvopsis, Gill... ..-.------------------- +--+ 22ree ccc 2046 2404. rostratus (Tilesius) ..----------------------------0-- crt 2046 2405. segaliensis (Tilesius) --------- Res ee ae tele etic a wes See els 2048 Genus 765. Pallasina, Cramer.....-------------------------+-0--7 770007 7° 2048 2406. barbata (Steindachner) .-----------------------+----++-+2027-777> 2049 DA Oana UAL ICS ls oe ose eee one aie = el niale orale niin weil ini miiaise inn 2050 Genus 766. Leptagonus, Gill .....--..----------------+---- 2227-0 0rrt 2052 2408. decagonus (Bloch & Schneider).---.----------------+++-+--+--->- 2052 Genus 767. Podothecus, Gill..--.---.----------------\--=-----22-7---5--""- 2054 2409, accipiter, Jordan & Starks....-... Be Sain eoteherers tic claiate elainietsie’ = =[eisial= 2055 XXVI CONTENTS. CLASS III. PISCES—Continued. ORDER BB. ACANTHOPTERI—Continued. Family CLXX XT, Agonide—Continued. Page. 24105 bam lini ordanrds:Gilbertsesce eeacee > Seeew eee cone ee ne 2135 Subgenus Allurus, Jordan & Evermann.....-...-.-------.------------- 2136 2469 ectones: Gil bent oss seen an ceetioteciacen cae once acmceeaeeeeet wanes 2136 lenis eon Gay TINO LM yyy Gall D OL Ueto eter alete tao alata eee ale ele) ofa tal 2137 P24 Opera y Uh ONTOS] GAL DORG pen] eee sale =o eee eee einis ieee serie este oie 2137 GennseowAmitray Goode ssisacsne asses 2 = oa see ace aca ceemeene ne ote ees 2138 pl oM RE VEU en COO CL Oaeeee ae ramtan eet e a antes aaa somal tee = eee reais LS Genus 790: Paraliparis, Collett.........-..----:---- areas oat esalsre een cles 2139 SUPVCOMUSH Ama ALIS see ale eeiters one aieiatai tetas ine sine eiacis eee 2140 Pao mNOlLomel ass Gal peLbeon-ceencenise > ctecinices one cece Se iciscismncicies a5 2140 Subgenus Amitrichthys, Jordan & Evermann..........---.-----.----- 2141 AT RCepialus,. Gillberissaosenenecese= seems cer cae ict erica s.ctooaslce cia aie = 2141 2a A eTOSACEUS« Gil berbsesancyes ae see ea t-mc ca\bcnteaclsiceec ed saes caemhcams 2142 Zao mM en bos Gal Or tasee eee eats atten ais am cies ceeeemee ce cee 1D exXeWe 317; Astin: SEXFASCIATUM, 1662. gg. Sides without dark bars; head unspotted; dorsal spines graduated; second anal spine, when depressed, reaching beyond tip of last spine. Head 3; depth 22; D. XII, 16; A. III, 7; scales 7 (or 8)-46 to 48-16. ALBUM, 1663. Sf. Mouth rather large, maxillary reaching front of pupil; back little elevated; preorbital rather narrow, its least width 5 in head; second anal spine reaching tip of last ray; snout rather long and pointed, 24 in head; back and sides with 4 or 5 black longitudinal streaks, which disappear only in very old examples. Depth 2%. MACROSTOMUM, 1664. ee. Scales in a vertical row from first dorsal spine to the lateral line, 5 or 6. h. Series of scales from scapular scale extending backward to front of soft dorsal; snout rather long and pointed; mouth small; the maxillary 2? to 3 in head; pectoral fins long, ? length of head; black spots on sides coalescing in continuous stripes. BONARIENSE, 1665. hh. Series of scales from scapular scale not extending farther backward than the middle of spinous dorsal; snout shorter, not very acute; mouth larger, the maxillary about 24 in head; premaxillary processes about 3 in head; dark spots on scales not coalescent. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 1293 t. Depth of body about 22 in length; pectoral fins short, . less than 3 length of head; scales above lateral line scarcely enlarged. Head 3; depth 22; scales 6-50- 4) xela 4 Ae 7. PARRA, 1666. wi. Depth of body 24 in length; pectoral fins long, more than % length of head; scales above lateral line somewhat enlarged (in adult). Head 3; depth 23; scales 5-49-13; D. XI or XII-16 or 15; A. III, 7. SCUDDERI, 1667. dd. Back and sides with distinct horizontal yellow stripes, fading but not disappearing in spirits; no black spots anywhere; vertical fins usually dusky yellow; scales of sides slightly enlarged; maxillary 21 in head, reaching front of pupil; body not very deep; snout short, not 3 length of head; second anal spine when depressed reaching tip of last ray, its length about 4 head. CARBONARIUM, 1668. ec. Maxillary-nearly or quite 4 length of head, reaching center of eye in adult; no black spots or stripes anywhere in the adult (except under angle of preopercle). ). Back and sides with rows of round silvery spots, one on each scale, these forming streaks which follow the direction of the rows of scales; ground color light olive-brown; anal high; a black blotch at base of caudal; fins all. yellow; body rather elongate; the snout pointed; maxillary about 2! in head; second anal spine 24 in head. Head 3; depth 28; scales 7-50-14; D. XII, 16; A. ITI, 8. STEINDACHNERI, 1669. jj. Back and sides with continuous yellow stripes, which are horizontal and do not everywhere follow the direction of the rows of scales; ground color bluish-gray; back with a well-defined blackish area from first dorsal spine to base of caudal, this color covering most of soft dorsal and middle of caudal lobes; body rather elongate; snout moderate; second anal spine 2% in head. Head 3; depth 3; scales 7-56-17; D. XII, 16; A. ITI, 8. MELANURUM, 1670. jjj. Back and sides of head and body with continuous blue stripes, hori- zontal, and not everywhere following the rows of scales; ground color bright yellow; fins yellow, the caudal dusky at base; snout moderate; teeth strong, the anterior caninelike; second anal spine 24in head. Head 23; depth 22; scales 7-53-14; D. XII, 16; A. ITT, 8. SCIURUS, 1671. bb. Seales above lateral line anteriorly much larger than the other scales; sides of head with bright blue stripes, which extend for a short distance only on body; body without distinct markings; mouth very large, its cleft more than 4 head (in adult); premaxillary processes 24 in head; anterior pro- file somewhat concave, the snout sharp, projecting; anal rather high, its second spine 23 in head. PLUMIERI, 1672. aa. Scales below lateral line anteriorly much enlarged; head, back, and sides with con- tinuous bright yellow stripes, those below following the direction of the scales, and therefore extremely undulating for the most part; body with 2 longi- tudinal black lines, the lower running from snout to base of caudal, ending ina black spot, the upper commencing in front of nostrils and separated from pre- ceding by a pale band, extending backward to posterior end of soft dorsal; region in front of dorsal with black median line; other short black lines on head; black spot at angle of preopercle purplish-silvery in spirits; fins yellow; posterior teeth caninelike; body rather deep; snout short; mouth not large, the maxillary 24 in head; anal high, its second spine 2 in head. FLAVOLINEATUM, 1673. 1294. Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, 1662. HEMULON SEXFASCIATUM, Gill. (MosARRA ALMEJERO.) Head 3; depth 2?. D. XII, 17; A. II, 9; scales* 6-51-14. Form of H. album. Body comparatively deep, the back elevated and compressed, the anterior profile steep and nearly straight from tip of snout to above eye, where a slight angle is formed, thence rising more steeply and form- ing a somewhat steep curve before the dorsal; snout pointed, of moderate length, 2% in head (in specimen 8 inches in length); proportionately longer in the adult. Mouth not very large, the maxillary reaching front of eye in young (8 inches), not nearly reaching eye in adult, its length 24 to 23 in head; lower jaw included. Teeth rather slender, the antrorse teeth of posterior part of lower jaw inconspicuous. Eye small (44 in head in young of 8 inches). Interorbital space convex, about 4 in head; preor- bital deep, its least depth greater than length of eye in adult, 43 in head in young (8 inches); preopercle finely and rather sharply serrate. Gill rakers small, about 8-+12. Scales moderate, those above lateral line not enlarged, arranged in very oblique series; those below lateral line also not enlarged, their series more nearly horizontal; soft fins scaled, as usual. Dorsal spines rather slender, the fourth highest, 2 in head; longest soft rays 3 in head; caudal lobes subequal, 14 in head; longest anal rays high, 24 in head; second anal spine longer and a little stronger than third, its tip when depressed about reaching middle of last anal ray, its length 2° in head; free margin of anal somewhat concave, the tips of the first rays when depressed reaching tips of last rays; ventral fins 1} in head; pectorals 1}. Frontal foramen a single divided slit in front of the high supraoccipital crest as in other species of the subgenus Hemulon. Color pearly grayish, with 6 or 7 sharply defined dusky cross-bands from back to lower part of sides, fading below, these of nearly equal width, and, except the sixth and seventh, of about equal distinctness, and extend slightly backward below; they are rather wider than eye and about equal to the paler interspaces; the first is at the nape, extending to base of pec- toral; the second under front of spinous dorsal; the third near middle of spinous dorsal; the fourth under last spines; the fifth and sixth under soft dorsal; the seventh, when evident, on caudal peduncle; cheeks, oper- cles, and anterior part of sides with distinct roundish spots of brownish- black, these largest and best defined on the opercle; fins nearly plain dusky grayish. Here described from No. 30997, U. S. Nat. Mus., from Colima, 8 inches in length. Pacific coast of tropical America, Guaymas to Panama; not very abundant, but widely distributed. This species is the Pacific coast representative of H. album, from which it differs stril:- ingly in its coloration. It reaches a similar very large size, specimen. *In this genus the scales above the lateral line are counted vertically from the first dor- sal spine to the lateral line; those below the lateral line from the first anal spine obliquely upward and forward to the lateral line. The scales ina longitudinal series are, as here given, the number of vertical rows aboye the lateral line from head to base of caudal. This number is practically the same in all species of the genus, the variations above or below 50 being slight. ‘“he number of oblique series of scales or of pores in the lateral line 1s in all cases about 10 fewer, or about 40. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1295 of over 2 feet in length having been obtained at Mazatlan by Gilbert and by Jordan. (sex, six; fasciatus, banded. ) Hemulon sexfasciatus, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 254, Cape San Lucas (Coll. Xantus). Hemulon maculosum, PETERS, Berliner Monatsberichte, 705, 1869, Mazatlan. Hemulon sexfasciatum, JORDAN & SWAIN, l. c., 288, 1884; JORDAN & FESLER, l. c., 469. 16638. HEMULON ALBUM, Cuvier & Valenciennes. (MARGATE-FISH; JALLAO; MARGARET GRUNT.) Head 3; depth 23. D. XII, 16; A. III, 7; scales 7 or 8-46 to 48-16. Body comparatively deep, the back more elevated and more sharply compressed than in any other of our species, the anterior profile steep and nearly straight from tip of snout to above eye, where a slight angle is formed, the profile thence rising more steeply and forming a somewhat steep curve before the dorsal. In most specimens, especially the larger ones, the con- cavity above the eye is well marked, not, however, in all. Snout long, pointed, its length 2} to 2>in head; ventral outline nearly straight; caudal peduncle rather long. Mouth large, the maxillary extending to front of eye, its length 2; to 2? in head, lower jaw included. ‘Teeth not very large, in narrow bands, the antrorse teeth of the posterior part of lower jaw less developed than in some other species; eyesmall, 5 to 7 in head; inter- orbital space strongly convex, its width 3? in head; preorbital deep, its least breadth 44 in head; preopercle finely but sharply serrate, the teeth coarser above. In most of the specimens these serrations are distinct, but in one, not otherwise peculiar, they are scarcely distinguishable. Gill rakers rather small, about 12 below the angle. Scales moderate, those above lateral line not enlarged, arranged in very oblique series; those below more nearly horizontal; soft parts of dorsal and anal covered with thin translucent scales. Dorsal spines rather slender, the fourth highest about 2 in head; longest soft rays 5 in head; caudal lobes subequal, 11 in head; anal moderate, its longest rays 4 in head; second anal spine stronger and longer than third, 3} in head, reaching past base of the last ray when depressed ; first soft rays when depressed not reaching tips of last rays; ventrals 1% in head; pectorals 14. Bones of head usually cavernous; mucous canal around preopercle and lower jaw very large; supraoccipital ridge high, extending forward to middle of pupil; temporal crests very low and thin, not extending forward quite to end of supraoccipital crest. Color in life of adult fishes (14 to 2 feet in length) pearly white, some- what olivaceous above, where a few of the scales have very faint dark spots at their bases; still fainter spots visible along the scales of lower part of sides; mouth orange within; lips and a faint blotch on each side of snout light yellow; a dusky shade under edge of preopercle (much more distinct in young); fins all light olive; the soft dorsal somewhat dusky ; head without stripes or spots. Young more distinctly spotted, the spots small, round, blackish, each with a pearly edge; one under each scale of back and sides very distinet when the fish is alive, or after its scales are removed, but disappearing almost entirely with death. In life a broad, 1296 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. dusky, lateral band is also distinct, but all traces of this disappear with death. The Cuban specimens are more dusky in color and less distinctly spotted; the coloration aboverather brassy than pearly. West Indies; Florida Keys to Brazil; reaches a length of 2 feet or more, and is an impor- tant food-fish at Key West, Havana, Nassau, St. Thomas, and Jamaica. (albus, white.) Peres marina gibbosa (Margate-fish), CATESBY, Nat. Hist. Car., 2, pl. 2, 1742, Bahamas. Perca gibbosa, WALBAUM, Artedi Pisc., 348, 1792; after CATESBY; not Perca gibbosa, Lin- NUS, which is Hupomotis gibbosus. Calliodon gibbosus, BLOCK & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 312, 1801; after CATESBY. Hemulon album, CuVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 241, 1830, St. Thomas; JORDAN & FESLER, l. c., 469, 1893. Hemulon microphthalmum, GUNTHER, Cat., 1, 306, 1859, America. Hemulon gibboswm, JORDAN & SWANN, l. c., 290, 1884. 1664. HEMULON MACROSTOMUM, Giinther. (GRAY GRUNT; STRIPED GRUNT.) Head 24; depth 22. D. XII, 16; A. III, 8; scales 7-51-13 (9 above in an oblique series). Body oblong, moderately compressed, the anterior profile almost straight; snout rather long and pointed, its length 24 in head; eye large, 34in head; mouth rather large, the maxillary reaching front of pupil, 24 in head; least width of preorbital about 5 in head. Teeth moderate, the outer row in the upper jaw and the posterior teeth in both jaws con- siderably enlarged. Preopercle moderately serrate. Gill rakers small. Scales moderate, those above lateral line not enlarged; those below very slightly enlarged; scales above arranged in very oblique series, the series below oblique anteriorly, becoming horizontal posteriorly. Dorsal spines strong, the longest 2+ in head; soft dorsal rather high; caudal lobes sub- equal, 13 in head; anal spines strong, the second longest and strongest, 23 in head, its tip reaching, when depressed, beyond tip of last ray; soft anal very high, its free margin concave, its longest ray 2? in head, reaching much beyond tip of last ray; pectorals 1? in head; ventrals 13. Color in spirits, pearly gray, with conspicuous narrow dark streaks, arranged essentially as in the young of all the other species of Hamulon, but in this species persistent through life; a median streak from tip of snout to dorsal, 1 from snout above eye, along sides of back to last ray of soft dorsal, 2 below this from eye above to last ray of soft dorsal, the upper one more or less interrupted behind; a fourth streak from eye nearly straight to base of caudal; traces below this of a fifth streak; a short streak fom eye to gill opening, between the third and fourth streaks; thi is continued on the body in a series of irregular marks and dots; a large black blotch on opercle under angle of preopercle; fins all dusty olive, the pectorals palest; ventralsdarkest.* Here described from No. 26555, U.S. N.M., from Key West. West Indies, north to Florida Keys and Clearwater Harbor. Not very common. (axpds, long; 6rda, mouth.) * We have examined specimens of this species from Clearwater Harbor, Key West, Jamaica, and St. Thomas. The large specimen from St. Thomas, a foot in length, is per- fectly unicolor, only some of the upper scales having darker centers. After careful con- sideration we have decided that H. macrostomum, Giinther, and H. fremebundum, Goode & Bean, must be identical, although there are one or two slight discrepancies in Giinther’s description. 7 Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1297 Hemulon macrostoma, GUNTHER, Cat., I, 308, 1859, Jamaica (Coll. Dr. Parnell); JorpDAN & SWAIN, l. c., 289; JORDAN & FESLER, l. c., 470. Hemuton fremebundumn, GoopE & BEAN, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1879, 340, Clearwater Harbor, Florida (Type, No. 23628, U.S.N.M. Coll. Dr. J. W. Velie); JorDAN & SWAIN, l. c., 297. Diabasis fremebundus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 553. 1665. HEMULON BONARIENSE, Cuvier & Valenciennes. (BLACK GRUNT; RONCO PRIETO.) Head 24; depth 23; scales 5-44-10. D.XII,16; A.III, 8. Body oblong, compressed, the back considerably elevated; head rather long; the snout pointed, rather longer and sharper than in H. parra, the anterior profile straight, or a very little concave before the eyes. Snout 23 in head (in young of 9 inches). Mouth rather small, smaller than in H. parra, the maxillary barely reaching front of eye, its length 3 in head. Teeth of moderate size, the onter and posterior somewhat enlarged, Eye moderate, 4% in head; interorbital space flattish, its width 44+ in head; preorbital moderate, its least width 4+ in head; preopercle moderately serrate. Gill rakers few and small, abont 12 on lower part of arch. Scales larger than in H, parra or any other of the species; those above and below lateral line about equal in size; those above arranged in series which are less oblique and more undulating than in related species, the series from the scapular scale following the direction of the lateral line for about 10 scales, then turning abruptly reaching the base of the last dorsal spine, or sometimes the anterior part of soft dorsal; soft fins scaly, as usual. Dorsal spines of moderate strength, the fourth 2? in head; longest ray of soft dorsal 4 in head; caudal 1% in head; anal high, the second spine and the longest rays extending, when depressed, well beyond tip of last ray; longest soft ray 2? in head; second spine longer and stronger than third, 23 in head; pectorals long, 14in head; ventrals 1?. Color in spirits, pearly gray; center of each scale brownish-black, these coalescing and forming very sharply defined continuous undulating stripes; about 16 of these between front of dorsal and front of anal; the sixth extending from the scapular scale to last dorsal spine; base of caudal blackish; fins dusky. West Indies, south to Buenos Ayres; not very common. (bona- riense, from Buenos Ayres. ) } “\ me Hemulon bonariense, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 254, 1830, Buenos Ayres. Hemulon canna, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Vv, 233, 1830, Martinique; GUNTHER, Cat., 1,311, 1859; Pory, Repertorio, I, 309, 1867; not of AGASSIZ, 1829. Hemuton notatum, PoEY, Memorias, I, 179, 1868, Cuba; POEY, Synopsis, 317; Pory, Enu- meratio, 46. Hemulon retrocurrens, POEY, Repertorio, II, 236, 461, 1868, Cuba. Hemulon continuum, Pory, Enumeratio, 46,1875, Cuba. Hemulon parre, JORDAN & SWAIN, Ll. c., 292, 1884. 1666. HAEMULON PARRA (Desmarest). (SAILOR’S CHOICE; RONCO BLANCO; RONCO PRIETO; BASTARD MARGARET.) Head 3; depth 23; eye large, 4 in head. D. XII, 17; A. III,7; scales 5-50-14. Body comparatively deep, the back compressed and arched; ante- 1298 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. rior profile rather steep and convex, steep and nearly straight from tip of snout to opposite front of eye; here an obtuse angle is formed, and to the base of dorsal there is arather even curve. In other specimens there is little or no prominence before eye. Snout comparatively high and obtuse, its length in specimens of moderate size 3 in head; snout shorter in young specimens than in the adult, the maxillary in the young extending farther back although proportionately shorter; mouth rather small for the genus, the maxillary usually extending a little beyond vertical from front of eye, in young nearly to middle of eye, its length 2? in head; maxillary in adult barely reaching front of eye; jaws subequal, the lower slightly included. Teeth rather strong, in moderate bands, the outer large, the antrorse teeth of the posterior part of lower jaw well developed. Interorbital space convex, its width 44 in head; preorbital rather deep, its least breadth 52 in head; preopercle finely, but sharply serrate, the teeth near the angle farther apart than the others but scarcely larger. In regard to the serra- tion of the preopercle we find much variation among our specimens, some of those from Cuba, corresponding more or less perfectly to H. serratum, Poey, have the preopercle always strongly serrate, while others, certainly cor- responding to H. acutum, Poey, have the serrations very inconspicuous. The Key West specimens are in this respect mostly intermediate, and none of them show any other distinctive character correlated with the differ- ences inthe preoperele. Gill rakers small, about 15 on lower part of arch. Seales rather large, those above lateral line not especially enlarged, ar- ranged in very oblique series; those below more nearly horizontal; soft fins well scaled; series of scales from scapular scale reaching fourth to sixth dorsal spine. Dorsal spines stout, the fourth highest, 2} in head; longest soft rays 3? in head; upper caudal lobe rather longer, 12 in head; longest anal rays 24 in head, reaching when depressed beyond the tips of the last rays; second anal spine stronger and longer than third, 2? in head, reaching when depressed nearly to the tip of the last ray; ventrals 2 in head; pectorals short, 1#. Color in life, dull pearly-grayish; belly plain grayish, each scale on body above with a conspicuous spot of dull olive-brown, these forming interrupted, oblique, and wavy streaks; head not spotted; mouth not much red, usually faintly orange near the angle in young specimens, a black spot on opercle under angle of preopercle; iris gilt; fins all dull, blackish-gray, the ventrals more or less tipped with blackish. Younger specimens have dark lateral stripes arranged pre- cisely as in H. macrostomum and H, rimator, and also a dark blotch at base of caudal. In the very young the spots on the scales are indistinct. Cuban specimens are mostly more dusky in color, the vertical fins mostly black, and the spots on the scales larger and almost black. In some these spots coalesce into stripes, but more usually they remain distinct. Other Cuban specimens (albidum) are very pale, the dark spots light brown, and speci- mens of every intermediate shade are in the collection. There are never any shades of blue or yellow on body or fins. Here described from Key West specimens 10} inches in length. West Indies; southern Florida to Brazil; very common at Key West and Havana. (Named for Don Antonio Parra, who first wrote, in 1780, on the natural history of Cuba.) Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 1299 Diabasis parra, DESMAREST, Prem. Décade Ichth., 30, pl. 2, fig. 2, 1823, Havana. Hemulon caudimacula, CUvIER, Régne Animal, Ed. 2, 1, 176, 1829, Brazil; Havana; on Uribaco, MARCGRAVE, sg ear de Parra, DESMAREST; CUVIER & VALENCI- ENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 226; 1830; GUNTHER, Cat., 1,313; Pory, Repertorio, I. 310, 1867; JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. 1881, 322 (redescription of original type). Hemutlon chromis, BROUSSONET, MS., in CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 242, 1830, Jamaica; GUNTHER, Cat., I, 310. Hemulon acutum, PoEY, Memorias, U1, 180, 1860, Cuba; JORDAN & SWAIN, l.c., 294. Hemulon serratum, Pory, Memorias, 1, 181, 1860, Cuba. Hemulon albidum, Pory, Memorias, It, 181, 1860, Cuba. Hemulon canna, AGASSIZ, Spix, Pisce. Brasil., 130, pl. 69, 1829; not of CUVIER & VALEN- CIENNES. Diabasis chromis, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 924. Hemulon parra, JORDAN & FESLER, l.c., 471. 1667. HEMULON SCUDDERI,* Gill. (MoJARRA PRIETA.) Head 34; depth 24. D.XI,16 (sometimes XII, 15); A. III, 7; scales 51- 49-13; eye large, 4 in head. Body short and deep, deeper than in H. parra, the back compressed and arched; anterior profile very steep and nearly straight from the tip of the snout to the nape, then evenly convex; snout low and short but not obtuse, its length in specimens of moderate size, 3 in head; mouth comparatively small, the maxillary extending in adult barely to front of pupil, its length 24 in head; lower jaw slightly included. Teeth moderate, the posterior teeth of lower jaw largest. Interorbital space convex, its width 3% in head; preorbital rather deep, its least breadth 5 in head; preopercle rather strongly serrate; the teeth near the angle larger and farther apart than the others. Gill rakers rather small, about 7+12. Scales rather large; those above lateral line somewhat enlarged, notably larger than those below, and arranged in very oblique series; series of scales from scapular scale reaching fifth dorsal spine; soft fins well scaled. Dorsal spines stout, the fourth highest, 2 in head; longest soft rays 54 in head; upper caudal lobe 13; longest anal rays 24 in head, reaching, when depressed, beyond the tip of the last rays, the free margin of the fin straight; second anal spine longer and stronger than third, 2,'; in head, reaching, when depressed, nearly to the tip of the last ray; ventrals 14 in head; pectorals long, 1,1; in head. Coloration pre- cisely as in Hemulon parra and undergoing the same changes with age. Adult, in spirits, dull pearly grayish, light or dark, with a roundish dusky blotch at base of each scale of back and sides, these not coalescent, but forming dark interrupted lines in the direction of the rows of scales; head unspotted, a black blotch under angle of preopercle; fins dusky grayish, the pectorals palest. In life, adult with the back bright yellow- olive to opposite front of dorsal, the posterior half of body more or less *This species is the Pacific representative of Hamulon parra. It reaches a similar size, is equally abundant, and passes through a similar range of variations and coloration. The majority of the specimens known from Mazatlan and Panama have 11 dorsal spines and correspond to Hamulon undecimale of Steindachner. Still others of them have, how- ever, 12 dorsal spines, as in the original types of H. seudderi and H. brevirostrum. We are unable to detect any other difference of importance among these specimens, and refer all to H. seudderi, regarding it as a species with the number of spines indifferently 11 or 12. No other species of Hemulon ever has fewer spines than 12. 1300 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. abruptly steel-blue black; vertical fins all blackish; in some the whole body is greenish, in others only the anterior half; lower parts all gray; most of these large ones show no traces of spots on scales; some show a few spots; fins silvery, with gold above and below; mouth red within. There is very great variation among individuals as in Hamulon parra, some having small, sharply defined spots, some large spots, and others of the same sizenoneatall. Length 1 foot or less. Pacific coast of tropical America, Guaymas to Panama; everywhere common, especially about rocks. Here described from No. 29282, U.S.N.M., from Panama. (Named for Samuel H. Scudder, the well-known entomologist, who made a very careful study of these fishes while a student under Professor Agassiz. ) Hemulon scudderi, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 253, Cape San Lucas (Coll Xantus) ; STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitr., 111, 18, 1875. Hemulon brevirostrum, GUNTHER, Fishes Centr. Amer., 418, 1869, Panama. Hemutlon undecimale, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitr., m1, 11, 1875, Acapulco; Panama. Diabasis scudderi, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1882, 361, 626. Hemulon scudderi, JORDAN & SWAIN, l. c., 296; JORDAN & FESLER, l. c., 472. 1668. HEMULON CARBONARIUM, Poey. (RONCO CARBONERO.) Head 3; depth 24; eye large, 33 in head. D. XII, 16; A. III, 8; scales 7-55-14. Body oblong; the back not greatly elevated, the profile nearly straight or slightly convex from tip of snout to above eye, thence gibbous to front of dorsal; snout short, moderately pointed, its length 3} in head; mouth not very large; the gape somewhat curved; the maxillary extend- ing nearly or quite to front of pupil, its length 24} in head; lower jaw rather included. Teeth strong, much as in H. sciurus, but a little shorter. Interorbital space flattish, 4 in head; preorbital moderate, its least breadth 6 in head; preorbital finely but rather sharply serrate; gill rakers small, 9+14. Scales moderate, those below laterai line anteriorly moderately enlarged, their series nearly horizontal; series above lateral line very oblique. Dorsal spines slender and high, the fourth 1f in head; longest soft rays 34; upper caudal lobe a little longer than lower, 1+ in head; long- est anal rays 2} in head, their tips when depressed reaching beyond tip of last ray; second anal spine strong, 2 in head, its tip reaching when depressed about to tip of last soft ray; ventrals 14 in head; pectorals 13. Color in life, light bluish-gray, much as in H. plumieri; body with 7 or 8 deep brassy-yellow stripes which are horizontal above, those below the lateral line a little curved, following the rows of scales; stripes narrower than interspaces of ground color; 3 stripes above lateral line, 3 or 4 below, the latter paler; little black under angle of preopercle; caudal blackish- yellowish at tip; soft dorsal, anal, and ventrals yellowish-gray, the distal portion blackish; spinous dorsal bluish, deep yellow at base and edge; a yellowish stripe along middle of fin; pectoral plain, a yellowish bar across its base; mouth deep red, its angle dusky. In spirits, grayish, more or less shaded with dusky, the stripes rather faint orange-brown. in head (1% in elegans). Teeth broader and more compressed than in any other of our species, the maxillary longer, reaching to opposite pupil, 3! in head (34 in elegans and analogus), the premaxillary processes extend- ing farther back. Longest ray of anal is 3in base of soft part of fin in analogus, 2 in elegans, 14 in lutescens. Length 16 inches. Revillagigedo Archipelago; known only from Socorro and Clarion islands. (lutescens growing yellow.) Pimelepterus lutescens, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 229, Braithwaite Bay, Socorro Island (Coll. Lieut. Nichols); JORDAN, Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. 1881, 328. Kyphosus lutescens, JORDAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1885, 380; JoRDAN & FESLER, l. ¢., 536. t 567. SECTATOR, Jordan & Fesler. Sectator, JORDAN & FESLER, Review Sparoid Fishes, 534, 1893 (oeywrus). This genus is very close to Kyphosus, from which it differs in its smaller incisor teeth, which have very inconspicuous roots, and by the deeply forked caudal. (sectator, one that follows, a name early applied to the rudder-fish from its custom of following ships.) 1768. SECTATOR OCYURUS (Jordan & Gilbert). Head 34; depth 24. D. XI, 13; A. III, 14; scales 12-78-20 (rows). Body oblong-elliptical, much less compressed and elevated than in related spe- cies ; both dorsal and ventral outlines regularly and nearly equally curved; frontal region little gibbous, the depression below it little marked and the snout scarcely blunt; mouth small, terminal, the lower jaw slightly included; maxillary not reaching front of eye; incisor teeth very small, about 30 in the upper jaw lanceolate, each with a very small horizontal process, shorter than the tooth; behind them a band of scarcely evident asperities; patches of similar asperities on vomer and palatines; eye very large, nearly as long as snout, its diameter nearly 4 interorbital width and ¢ length of head; preopercle produced and rounded at angle, its margin 1390 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. weakly serrulate; gill membranes united straight across breast, free from the isthmus, their free border under posterior part of eye; gill rakers small and short; pseudobranchie present; head more completely scaled than in A. sectatriv; the naked areas similar, but more restricted; scales striated and rugose, but scarcely ctenoid, much smoother than in KA. sectatriz, those on middle of sides largest, those on breast not much reduced in size; soft dorsal and anal completely covered with scales, the pectorals and caudal nearly so; dorsal spines low, the longest 5} in head, the base of the fin nearly equal to that of the soft dorsal or the anal; soft dorsal very low, its last ray longest, its middle rays not so long as the eye; caudal extremely long, deeply forked, the lobes falcate, the upper rays more than 4 times the length of the middle rays and equal to the greatest depth of the body; anal long and low, its base greater than length of head, its last ray longest, its middle rays shorter than eye; anal spines small, gradu- ated; ventrals short, well behind pectorals, nearly } length of head, and reaching halfway to front of anal; pectorals short, a little more than 1 head. Color in life: Back and sides above light olive-brown, becoming yellowish-olive below; belly and lower part of sides white; each side of back witha very distinct dark-blue stripe, commencing a little in front of origin of dorsal and running to upper lobe of caudal fin, gradually increasing in width backward to caudal peduncle, along which it is sud- denly narrowed; a sinall blue spot on median line between the orbits, a broad blue stripe from snout through eye to suprascapula; a second from snout through lower margin of orbit to opercle, where it is abruptly expanded; lores golden, a broad golden stripe behind angle of mouth, not reaching preopercular margin; a broad dark-blue stripe from above base of pectorals straight to base of median caudal rays; below this is a nar- rower golden stripe; lower part of sides with indistinct longitudinal brownish streaks along the margins of the series of scales; vertical fins golden yellow, caudal narrowly margined with black; pectorals brown within, the outer side silvery with yellow tinge; ventrals yellow on inner margins, silvery on the outer; roof of mouth and tongue bright white. Panama; known only from the original types. (@xvs, swift; ovpa, tail.) Pimelepterus ocyurus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U. 8. Fish Comm. 1881, 327, 328, Bay of Panama. (Type, No. 29395,U.S.N.M. Coll. C. H. Gilbert.) Kyphosus ocyurus, JORDAN, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1885, 380; JORDAN & FESLER, /. c., 536. 568. MEDIALUNA, Jordan & Fesler. (MEDIALUNAS. ) Medialuna, JORDAN & FESLER, Review Sparoid Fishes, 536, 1892 (californiensis). Body ovate-elliptical, covered with small, firm, ectenoid scales, which also cover the membranes of the soft parts of the vertical fins; mouth small, terminal, horizontal; the maxillary narrow, slipping under the edge of the rather narrow preorbital; sides, top of head, and jaws closely sealed; preopercle minutely crenulate at angle; jaws with broad bands of slender teeth, those in the outer series incisor-like, compressed, nar- row, and lanceolate in form, the outer surface transversely convex, the Jordan and Fvermann.—Fishes of North America, 1391 inner concave; the other teeth of the jaws similar, but grow progress- ively smaller backward toward the inside of the mouth; incisors without conspicuous roots behind; all the teeth somewhat movable, as in Girella; no molar teeth; vomer, palatines, and tongue with patches of minute villiform teeth; gill rakers slender, rather long; dorsal spines low, in a slight groove, about 10 in number, gradually increasing in height to the sixth, then decreasing; soft part of the fin elongate, much longer than the spinous part, not faleate, the longest ray 3 base of the soft-rayed part of fin, the fin pointed behind; anal comparatively short, its base 3% in body, its rays III, 19; anal spines small, graduated, the soft rays numerous; caudal lunate; scales thinnish, adherent, with smaller ones intermixed; pyloric ceca extremely numerous; air bladder small; branchiostegals 7. This genus contains a single species which belongs to the Californian fauna. Its nearest relative seems to be the Australian genus Atypichthys, Giinther, which has a different fin formula (D. XI, 15; A. III, 15), and the middle dorsal spines much longer, about + of head. These fishes show some analogies to the Chwtodontide in form and dentition and in the scaling of the fins. The osteology is, however, much as in Ayphosus and Crirvella, and is essentially Percoid. The post-temporal is short and thick, not anchylosed in the skull, (Spanish medialuna—half moon, the vernacu- lar name of the typical species in California. ) 1769. MEDIALUNA CALIFORNIENSIS (Steindachner). (MEDIALUNA; HALF Moon.) Head 33; depth 2}; eye small, 5in head, 14 in snout. D. IX-I, 22; A. ILI, 19; scales 9-58-12. Body ovate-elliptical, its outlines regular; head bluntish, rounded, the profile strongly convex; maxillary narrow, not reaching front of eye; preorbital narrow; mouth small, terminal, hori- zontal; jaws with broad bands of slender teeth, the outer compressed, narrowly lanceolate, without evident roots behind; outer teeth similar, growing smaller backward, all somewhat movable; vomer, palatines, and tongue with patches of minute teeth; gill rakers slender, rather long, about 6+17; preopercle entire. Dorsal spines low, the middle spines highest, scarcely longer than eye; soft dorsal low, not elevated in front, little higher than spines; anal low; caudal lunate, the upper lobe slightly longer; pectorals short and narrow; ventrals rather small; scales thin- nish, adherent, with smaller ones intermixed; sides, top of head, and jaws closely scaled. Color blackish, with steely luster; paler, and often mottled below; sides with faint oblique vertical lines of spots; fins blackish. Coast of southern California, from Point Conception southward to Cerros Island. This handsome fish is abundant on the rocky coasts of southern California. It reaches a length of about a foot, and is a food-fish of gocd quality. Scorpis californiensis, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitr., m1, 19, 1875, San Diego; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 562, 1883, and elsewhere. Cesiosoma californiense, JORDAN, Cat. Fish. N. A., 92, 1885. ‘Medialuna californiensis, JORDAN & FESLER, lI. c., 537, 1893. 1392 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. Family CLV. SCLHNIDA. (THE CROAKERS. ) Body compressed, more or less elongate, covered with rather thin scales which are usually more or less ctenoid. Lateral line continuous, usually more or less concurrent with the back, extending on caudal fin. Head prominent, covered with scales; bones of the skull cavernous, the mucif- erous system highly developed, the surface of the skull, when the flesh is removed, very uneven. Suborbital bones without a backward projecting “stay.” Chin usually with pores, sometimes with barbels. Mouth small or large, the teeth in one or more series, the outer of which are sometimes enlarged; canines often present. No incisor nor molar teeth; no teeth on vomer, palatines, pterygoids, nor tongue. Maxillary without supplemental bone, slipping under the free edge of the preorbital, which is usually broad. Premaxillaries protractile, but not very freely movable. Nostrils double. Pseudobranchi usually large, present in most of the genera. Gills 4, a slit behind fourth. Gill rakers present. Branchostegals 7. Gill membranes separate, free from the isthmus. Lower pharyngeals separate or united, often enlarged, the teeth conic or molar. Preopercle serrate or not. Opercle usually ending in 2 flat points. Dorsal fin deeply notched or divided into 2 fins, the soft dorsal being the longer, the spines depressible into a more or less perfect groove. Anal fin with 1 or 2 spines, never more than 2. Ventral fins thoracic, I, 5, below or behind pectorals. Pectoral fins normal. Caudal fin usually not forked. Ear bones or otoliths very large. Pyloric ceca usually rather few. Air bladder usually large and complicated (wanting in Menticirrhus). Most of the species make a peculiar noise, called variously croaking, grunting, drumming, and snoring; this sound is supposed to be caused by forcing the air from the air bladder into one of the lateral horns. An important family of 30 genera and 150 species, found on sandy shores in all warm seas, a few species being confined to fresh waters. None occurs in deep water and none among rocks. Many of them reach a large size, and nearly all are valued for food. All are carnivorous and some are of inter- est as game fishes.* (Sciwnidw, Giinther, Cat. Fishes, 11, 265-318.) We begin our series of Sciwnidw with the genus Seriphus, which is per- haps most primitive of the existing genera, and we close it with Hques, which stands at the opposite extreme from Seriphus. ~ In passing down the series from Nebris and Odontoscion, the most Otolithus-like of the Scienine, to Sciwna, Menticirrhus, Eques, and the other extreme forms, we find no very sharp line of division. The middle line, if we may so speak, lies between Bairdiella chrysoleuca and Ophioscion scierus, two species really closely allied to each other. The Scienine constitute an irregularly graduated series, the characters changing by small and often scarcely perceptible gradations from the forms allied to Cynoscion on the one hand to those approaching Hques on the other. * A review of the Sciwnide of America and Europe has beeu published by Jordan & Eigenmann, Report U.S. Fish Comm. for 1886 (1889), 343-446, pls. 1-4. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 1393 Nothing could be more unnatural or more ineffective than the subdivision adopted by Cuvier, whereby the Sciwnine without barbels are divided into 3 groups, Corvina, Johnius, and Scicena, solely on the strength of the second anal spine. This is large in Corvina, very feeble in Sciwna, and inter- mediate in Johnius. Giinther’s arrangement, by which the species referred to Johnius, are divided between Corvina and Sciena, is no better, as very many of the species have this spine neither large nor small, and could as well be placed in the one group as the other. Bleeker divides this group into Pseudosciena, species with the mouth oblique and the jaws subequal, the lower jaw with the teeth of the inner row enlarged, and Johnius with the mouth horizontal and the lower jaw included, the teeth of the lower jaw being in villiform bands. ‘This arrangement is better than the other only in theory. The characters chosen are of more value as indicating relation- ship, but they can not be applied in practice, as there are intermediate gradations of all sorts. The type of Pseudosciana (Sciena aquila) is in fact much more nearly related to the type of Johnius than to most of the species associated with in in Pseudosciena. As we proceed along the series of Sciwnine from Larimus toward Menti- cirrhus, the following changes are notable: In the Larimus type the pores on the snout are small and few, and there are no distinct slits or lobes on the snout above the upper jaw; in the other type the pores become large and conspicuous, 4 to 6 in number, and the thickened snout above the upper jaw has two slits on each side, bounding two dermal lobes. The mouth becomes smaller, narrower, more horizontal as we proceed toward Menticirrhus, the lower jaw shorter, and the bands of teeth in both jaws more and more broad, those in the lower more decidedly villiform; the pores on the chin become larger and more numerous, the number rising from 2 to 5; the lower pharyngeals become larger, and their teeth larger and less acute; the preorbital becomes wider and more gibbous, the gill rakers, shorter, fewer, and more like tubercles; the anal fin is placed far- ther forward, and the spines of the fins generally are less slender; the scales, as a rule, become rougher and the rows of scales less regular in their direction. The flesh, as a rule, becomes firmer, coarser, less agree- able in flavor, and of less value as food; but this, like some other charac- ters mentioned above, is subject to much variation. It may be noted that in some Sciwnide the middle rays of the caudal are more produced in young specimens. In some, also, the serrations on the preopercle become weaker or even obsolete with age. (Sciwnidw, Giinther, Cat., 1, 265-318.) OTOLITHIN 2: I. Vertebra 14 or 15 + 10 or 11, the abdominal portion of the spinal column having always more vertebra than the caudal portion, the anal fin being posterior in its inser- tion; body more or less elongate, the mouth large, the lower jaw projecting, the preopercle with a crenulate, membranaceous border; snout without distinct pores or slits; no barbels; preorbital narrow; gill rakers slender, moderate, or rather long; anal fin with 1 or 2 very weak spines, the second closely connected with the first soft ray; scales small, smoothish. a. Anal fin long, of 15 to 21 soft rays, its length more than half that of soft dorsal; dorsal fins more or less separated; soft dorsal and anal fins closely scaled. b. Teeth small, sharp, subequal, uniserial below, in a narrow band above; no canines; anal and soft dorsal with 20 te 22 rays each, the former but iittle 1594 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. shorter than the latter; dorsal fins well separated; body compressed; scales large, ctenoid; lateral line straight; gill rakers long and slender; caudal fin lunate. SERIPHUS, 569. bb. Teeth larger, very unequal; tip of upper jaw with one or two strong canines ; enlarged teeth or canines on sides of lower jaw; anal fin 3 shorter than soft dorsal, with 15 to 18 soft rays; dorsal fins well separated, the interspace about equal to eye; soft dorsal of 24 rays; body compressed; scales rather small, cycloid. ISOPISTHUS, 570. aa. Anal fin moderate, or short, of 7 to 13 soft rays, its length less than $ that of second dorsal; dorsal fins contiguous; lateral line arched in front. c. Canine teeth, if present, not lance-shaped, tapering from base to tip. d. Lower jaw without canines at its tip, some of its lateral teeth sometimes enlarged; tip of upper jaw usually with canines. e. Mouth very oblique, the lower jaw little projecting, the angle at base of mandible very prominent; body compressed. BUCCONE, 571. ee. Mouth little oblique, the lower jaw projecting at tip; angle at base of mandible little prominent; body subfusiform. CyNOSCION, 572. ec. Canine teeth lance-shaped, widened toward the tip, then abruptly pointed ; canines of front of premaxillary largest; about 2 canines on front of lower jaw on each side; outer teeth of upper jaw enlarged, somewhat lance- shaped; outer teeth of lower jaw compressed; air bladder with 2 horn-like processes; gill rakers moderate, slender; soft dorsal and anal fin scaly. SAGENICHTHYS, 573. II. Vertebrae 9 to 12-+ 13 to 20, typically 10+ 14, the number in the abdominal part of the body being always less than in the caudal part; dorsal fins contiguous, the soft dorsal being long, much longer than the anal. f. Dorsal spines well separated, the first dorsal spine attached to the third or fourth inter. neural, not more than 2 of the spine-bearing interneurals being placed between the same pair of vertebrie ; soft rays of dorsal fin usually 17 to 82 (37 to 40 in Lonchiurus, 45 to 50 in Sciewnoides); occipital crest not greatly elevated. SCLENINE : yg. Lower pharyngeals separate. h. Lower jaw without barbels. i. Candal fin moderately scaly, its distal portion usually more or less naked, the scales not numerous enough to give a thickened appearance to the fin. j. Teeth well developed, permanent in both jaws. k. Lower pharyngeals rather narrow, their teeth conic and mostly sharp, none of them molar; outer teeth of upper jaw more or less enlarged. 1.* Gill rakers comparatively long and slender; mouth more or less oblique; anal fin usually (but not always) inserted posteriorly; preorbital usually narrow, flat; edge of snout above upper jaw with the pores and slits little conspicuous or obsolete. m. Skull excessively cavernous, soft and spongy to the touch, the interorbital space very broad; eye very small; mouth large, oblique; preopercle with a broad membranaceous border, which is striated and fringed ; scales small; spinous dorsal short and weak; anal spines weak; caudal fin pointed. n. Pseudobranchie present; teeth subequal, all villi- form, in narrow bands; soft dorsal long, of 30 to 35 rays; anal fin rather long; soft dorsal and anal scaly; lower jaw projecting; vertebrie 10 + 14; gillrakers long and slender; air bladder with two horns. NEBRIS, 574. *This character like many others passes away by degrees, leaving no sharp division between J and Ji. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 1395 mm. Skull firm, not excessively cavernous, interorbital space less broad; preorbital not turgid; soft dorsal of less than 30 rays. o. Seales of the lateral line considerably enlarged, almost entirely concealed by smaller ones; anal fin small, inserted well forward its first spine usually as near ventrals as caudal; cau- dal fin pointed, its peduncle long and slender; soft dorsal and anal scaly; scales small; pre- opercle without bony serre; pseudobranchie small, often obsolete on one side. (Fluviatile species.) PLAGIOSCION, 575. oo. Scales of the lateral line similar to the others, not concealed by smaller ones; anal fin inserted more or less posteriorly, first spine usually nearer caudal than ventrals; caudal peduncle rather short; pseudobranchiz well developed. p. Head not very broad, the interorbital space notnotably spongy nor deeply cavernous. q. Preopercle with its membranaceous edge entire, crenulate or ciliate, with no bony teeth; teeth in lower jaw in few series. r. Teeth very small, equal, uniserial or very nearly so; snout very short; cleft of mouth oblique or even vertical, the lower jaw projecting. LARIMUS, 576. rr. Teeth larger, more or less un- equal, those of the lower jaw in one or two series or in bands; cleft of mouth not ver- tical. s. Upper jaw with some of the teeth enlarged, forming canines; some canines in lower jaw; lower jaw projecting. ODONTOSCION, 577. ss. Upper jaw with a narrow band of teeth, those of the outer row more or less enlarged ; no distinct canines. CORVULA, 578. qq. Preopercle with its bony margin arm- ed with sharp teeth or serre. t. Preopercle with its lowermost spine directed abruptly down- ward; soft dorsal and anal fin moderately scaly. u. Lower jaw with a few slen- der canines; second anal spine very small. ELATTARCHUS, 579. uu. Lower jaw without canines; second anal spine mod- erate or large. BAIRDIELLA, 580. 1596 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. pp. Head very broad above, the interorbital space flattish, excessively cavernous, the septa reduced to thin partitions; soft dorsal and anal fin usually densely svaly; second spine of dorsal usually thickened. STELLIFER, 581. ll. Gill vakers comparatively short and thick, usually not longer than posterior nostril; anal fin inserted farther forward ; snout above lower jaw with large pores, and with two more or less distinct slits on its edge, these sometimes obsolete; preorbital more or less broad; mouth more or less inferior. v. Preopercle with its bony margin armed with strong per- sistent spines which do not disappear with age; cau- dal fin not lunate, the middle rays longer than the lower. OPHIOSCION, 582. vy. Preopercle with its bony margin serrate in the young, becoming entire with age; caudal fin truncate or lu- nate, the middle rays not longest; slits and pores of upper jaws well developed. SCLENOPS, 583. vvv. Preopercle without bony serratures, its membranaceous edge entire or crenate, or fringed; slits and pores of upper jaw well developed. SCLENA, 584. kk. Lower pharyngeals very broad, with coarse blunt molar teeth; teeth in both jaws subequal, in broad bands; preopercle with its bony margin coarsely serrate; lower jaw included; snout with pores and slits as in Sciena; gill rakers rather short and slender. RONCADOR, 585. jj. Teeth very small, subequal, those in the lower jaw wanting or decidu-_ ous; lower pharyngeals rather broad, with paved teeth; mouth small, inferior; snout as in Sciena; preopercle entire; anal fin long, with about 12 soft rays; gill rakers shortish, rather-slender. LEIOSTOMUS, 586. hh. Lower jaw with one or more barbels, either at the symphysis or on the rami; snout with slits and pores as in Sciena; lower jaw included; preorbital broad; lower teeth in villiform bands; gill rakers more or less short. w. Pseudobranchie well developed; pectoral fin not elongate. x. Lower jaw with slender barbels, usually several in number. y. Barbels mostly in a tuft at the symphysis of lower jaw; mouth very small, inferior; gill rakers minute, thickish; dorsal spines X or XI; preopercle sharply but finely serrate; pre- orbital turgid and cavernous, more or less translucent; caudal fin rhombic. (Fluviatile species.) PACcHYPopPs, 587. yy. Barbels chietly lateral, along the rami of the lower jaw, usually none at the symphysis; lower pharyngeals narrow, with sharp teeth. z. Preopercle without bony serrz; dorsal spines XIV; gill rakers short, but rather slender. GENYONEMUS, 588. zz. Preopercle with its bony margin armed with strong teeth; dorsal spines X or XT; gill rakers short, thickish. MICROPOGON, 589. xx. Lower jaw with a single thickish barbel at its tip. a’. Air bladder large; anal spines 2; back more or less elevated; preopercle with its bony margin crenate or serrate; pec- torals short, shorter than ventrals. (Free swimming species.) UMBrINA, 590. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1397 aa’. Air bladder none; anal spine single, weak: back not elevated ; preopercle with its membranaceous edge crenulate; pec- toral fins long, longer than ventrals. (Bottom fishes.) MENTICIRRHUS, 591. ww. Pseudobranchie obsolete; body long and low; caudal pointed; pectoral fin elongate; preopercle without bony serratures. b/. Mandible with a row of slender barbels along its inner edge; chin with- out large barbels. PARALONCHURUS, 592. bb’. Mandible without barbels along the inner edge. Chin with two short barbels; soft dorsal with 30 to 40 rays. LONCHIURUS, 593. APLODINOTIN 2: gg. Lower pharyngeals very large, completely united, covered with coarse blunt paved teeth; lower jaw included; snout with slits and pores, as in Scicena; gill rakers rather short. ec’. Lower jaw with numerous barbels along the inner edge of the rami; preopercle nearly entire. (Marine species.) POGONTAS, 594. cc’. Lower jaw without barbels; preopercle slightly serrate. (Fresh- water species.) APLODINOTUS, 595. EQUITINE: ff. Dorsal spines close together, the first spine attached to the first interneural, and from 5 to 12 of the spine-bearing interneurals wedged in between the high occipital crest and the neural spine of the second vertebra on the one hand, and that of the third vertebra on the other; occipital crest much elevated. Mouth ~ small, low, included; the teeth subequal, in villiform bands; air bladder sim- ple; préopercle with its membranaceous edge serrulate; gill rakers short; snout above premaxillary with slit and pores essentially as in Scicena; anal tin small; soft dorsal very long, of 36 to 55 rays; vertebrze 10+ 15 = 25. EQUES, 596. 569. SERIPHUS, Ayres. Seriphus, AYRES, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci., 11, 1861, 80 (politus). Body oblong, compressed, covered with rather large, deciduous, ctenoid scales. Head deep, compressed, carinated behind, depressed above the eye; snout bluntish, lower jaw projecting; mouth large, oblique. Teeth small, sharp, separated, in narrow bands. Gill rakers long; pseudo- branchix present; preopercle with its membranaceous edge denticulated. Fins fragile, the soft parts scaly; dorsal fins well apart, the second unusually small, shorter than the anal, which is unusually large; anal spines 2, feeble; caudal fin lunate. Vertebrie 14+ 10, as in Otolithus and Cynoscion. Size small. One species in the eastern Pacific. (Gé€pz@os, an is!an‘ in the Grecian Archipelago; a small winged insect; also a kind of wormwood; the allusion in any case not evident. ) 1770. SERIPHUS POLITUS, Ayres. (QUEENFISH; WHITE CROAKER.) Head 34; depth 4; eye large, 44 in head; snout projecting, 34 in head. D. VIII-I, 20; A. II, 21 or 22; scales 8-65-9. Body moderately elongate, compressed; profile slightly depressed over the eyes; mouth large and narrow, the lower jaw more or less projecting in the adult; premaxillary anteriorly about on the level of the lower margin of the pupil; maxillary 1398 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 2 in head, reaching to below posterior margin of eye; lower jaw with a knob at its symphysis which fits in a notch in the upper jaw; teeth all small, subequal, those of the lower jaw in a single series, except at the symphysis, where there are two or three series; teeth of the upper jaw in two series, the inner ones much recurved; gill rakers long and slender, 3 length of eye, 7+ 16; lower pharyngeals narrow, linear, fragile; scales moderate, weakly ctenoid, those about the head cycloid; lateral line straight; dorsal spines weak, the highest 2? to 3 in head; soft dorsal faleate, the anterior rays much the longer; anal similar, its base at least as long as that of the soft dorsal; interspace between dorsals 2; in head; ventrals 2 in head; pectorals 13; caudal lunate. Color bluish above, sides and belly bright silvery, finely punctate; vertical fins all bright yellow; in life, base of pectorals blackish. Coast of southern California, from Point Conception to Cerros Island; common on sandy shores, about San Diego in shallow waters. It reaches the length of about a foot, and is an excellent pan fish. (politus, polished.) Seriphus politus, AYRES, Proc. Cal. Ac. Nat. Sci., 1, 1861, 80, no locality; JoRDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 456; JoRpDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. 5. Nat. Mus. 1881, 48; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 582, 1883; JORDAN & EIGENMANN, J. ¢., 352, 1889. 570. ISOPISTHUS, Gill. Tsopisthus, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 18 (parvipinnis). This genus is intermediate between Seriphus and Cynoscion. It has the canine teeth of the latter, with the long anal and short second dorsal of the former. ‘The second dorsal has 24 rays; it is well separated from the spinous dorsal, and its base is only } longer than that of the anal. Another genus (4rchoscion Gill) is intermediate between /sopisthus and Cynoscion, having the anal shorter and the dorsals closer together than in Jsopisthus, but less so than in Cynoscion. Canines strong, the lateral teeth of lower jaw more or less canine-like. The separation of these groups as genera is perhaps hardly justified. Species few, in tropical America. (/G0s, equal; om.i6$e behind, the soft dorsal and anal equal.) a. Anal rays II, 19; pectorals rather long, 14 in head; axil brownish. REMIFER, 1771. aa. Anal rays II, 16 or 17; pectorals shortish, 14 in head; axil pale. PARVIPINNIS, 1772. 1771. ISOPISTHUS REMIFER, Jordan & Gilbert. Head 34 (32 in total); depth 4% (4%); eye 44. D. VIII-I, 20; A. II, 19; seales 15-78-16, about 55 pores. Body elongate, compressed, the back not elevated; head compressed; snout rather short, not prominent; anterior profile slowly rising from snout to front of dorsal; premaxillaries extend- ing beyond front of snout, anteriorly on the level of the upper part of the pupil; mouth large, very oblique, the maxillary extending to below the middle of eye, its length 24in head. Lower jaw strongly projecting at tip; chin without pores. Front of premaxillaries with a long, sharp, curved canine on each side (1 of these often smaller or absent); sides of upper jaw with smaller teeth, wide-set, mostly in 1 row; lower jaw with about 2 series of small, slender teeth in front, laterally with a single series of small teeth, besides 3 to 6 large canines, much smaller than the canines of the Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 1399 upper jaw. Preorbital narrow, not wider than the pupil. Eye large, slightly shorter than snout, which is about equal to interorbital width. Preopercle with a membranaceous flap at its angle, which is striate and slightly fringed at its edge. Gill rakers rather strong and slender, few in number; pseudobranchixe well developed; nostrils small, the posterior vertically oblong. Scalessmall, nearly smooth, deciduous; dorsal and anal fins closely covered with small scales; lateral line little arched, becom- ing straight behind vent; first dorsal small, its spines slender, the highest 24 in leneth of head, first spine minute or obsolete, the second not much shorter than third; space between dorsal fins about equal to diameter of eye, 34 in head; soft dorsal moderate, its longest ray a little Jess than 4 length of head; caudal shortish, slightly double-concave, its middle rays about $ length of head; base of anal 3 length of head, its spines rudimen- tary; ventrals } length of head, reaching halfway to vent, which is close in front of anal; pectorals reaching considerably beyond tips of ventrals, their length 14 to 14 in head, 4) to 44 in body. Flesh comparatively soft. Color in life: Bluish-gray above; grayish-silvery below; top of snout and tip of lower jaw blackish; inside of mouth yellow, with black on lower lip within; linings of opercles black, bordered with pale orange; dorsals, caudal, and pectorals with fine black punctulations, the ground color in all except the spinous dorsal faintly yellowish; anal white, the anterior part and the tips of most of the rays yellowish, punctate with black; ven- trals white, immaculate; a dark blotch behind orbit and another on upper rays of pectoral within. This species is extremely close to J. parvipinnis, differing only in the characters above mentioned. Panama; on sandy shores; rather common. (remus, oar; fero, I bear, from the long pec- torals. ) Isopisthus remifer, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U. S. Fish. Comm. 1881, 320, Panama. (Type, No. 29169, U.S. N. M. Coll. Gilbert.) Archosion remifer, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. ¢., 353, 1889. 1772. ISOPISTHUS PARVIPINNIS (Cuvier & Valenciennes). Head 34; depth 34. D. VIII-I, 21; A. II, 16 or 17; scales about 100, -52 to 54 pores. Body much compressed; pectorals shortish, the upper rays longest, 14 in head; upper canines very long, recurved; three canines on the sides of the lower jaw; base of soft dorsal 1} times length of base of anal; distance between dorsals about equal to diameter of eye; caudal fin subtruncate; color dark plumbeous above, rest of body yellowish-white ; no axillary spot; an indistinct elongate dark blotch from behind the eye to middle of operele. Coast of Brazil, north to Cayenne. Only the orig- inal type of this species in the Museum of Paris has been examined by us, This seems to be identical with the species well figured by Steindachner under the name Jsopisthus afinis, and from Steindachner’s description and figure our account has been chiefly drawn. (parvus, small; pinna, fin.) Ancylodon parvipinnis, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 84, 1830, Cayenne; GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 312, 1860. Isopisthus afinis, STEINDACHNER, Denksch. Mat. Nat. Kais. Acad. Wiss. 1879, 43, pl. 2, fig. 2, Porto Alegre. Tsopisthus parvipinnis, JORDAN, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1883, 289; reexamination of type. Archoscion parvipinnis, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, I. c., 353, 1889. 1400 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 571. BUCCONE, Jordan & Evermann. Buccone, JORDAN & EVERMANN, Check-List, 394, 1896 (predatorius). This genus is close to Cynoscion, differing from it chiefly in the form of the mouth, which is large, oblique, the lower jaw less projecting and less produced at symphysis; it is also very deep at base, the articulation of the mandible making a marked angle with the ventral outline; body much more compressed than in Cynoscion, the lateral line more strongly arched. Pseudobranchiz small, sometimes obsolete on one side. One species. (Bocone, the Spanish name, from boca, mouth; Latin bucco, bucconis, wide- mouthed.) 1773. BUCCONE PREDATORIA (Jordan & Gilbert). (BOCONE.) Head 34; depth 4; eye 74in head; snout 4?. D.IX-I,19; A.1,9; scales about 65. Mouth large, extremely oblique, the maxillary reaching con- siderably beyond eye, its length 2} in head; body robust, deeper, heavier, and with the back more elevated than in any species of Cynoscion; anterior profile depressed above the eye, so that the snout projects; snout short, not very acute, head thicker than in other species, the interorbital space equal to length of snout; maxillary very broad, its tip 6 in head; canines 2, short and stout; lateral teeth of lower jaw moderate; gill rakers x-+10, rather long and slender, the longest } eye; pseudobranchi often obsolete on one side; dorsal spines high, the longest 2;}; in head; soft dor- sal moderately scaly, the distal half of its rays largely naked; middle rays of caudal produced; pectorals 1} in head; ventvals a trifle shorter. Color pale, bluish above, silvery below; axil and inside of opercle a little dusky. Coast of Panama. The types and cotypes, three specimens, the largest nearly 2 feet in length, at Cambridge. Numerous others have been since taken by Dr. Gilbert. (predatorius, predatory.) Cestreus predatorius, JORDAN & GILBERT, in JORDAN & EIGENMANN, Review of the Scizeni- dz, 363,1889, Panama. (Type, No. 10901, M.C.Z. Coll. Agassiz.) 572. CYNOSCION, Gill. (WEAK-FISHES. ) Cestreus, GRONOW, Cat. Fish., Ed. Gray, 49, 1854 (carolinensis —nebulosus) ; preoccupied by Cestreus, MCCLELLAND, Journ. Nat. Hist., 11, 1851, 1842, an East Indian genus of gobies = Prionobutis, BLEEKER. Cynoscion, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 18 (regalis). Apseudobranchus, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 18 (toeroe = acoupa). Atractoscion, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila, 1862, 18 (@yuidens). Body elongate, little compressed, the back not elevated, Head conical, rather pointed; mouth very large, terminal, not very oblique, the lower jaw projecting, the symphysis produced, the angle at base of maxillary not prominent. Maxillary very broad. Teeth sharp, not closely set, in rather narrow bands; tip of the lower jaw without canines; upper jaw with 2 long canines, 1 of which is sometimes obsolete; canines tapering Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1401 from base to tip; lateral teeth of lower jaw larger than anterior. Pre- opercle with its membranaceous edge serrulate, the bone entire. Lower pharyngeal bones separate, their teeth all pointed. Gill rakers strong, rather long. Vertebrie about 14+ 10 (instead of 10+ 14 as in Sci:enoids generally). Pseudobranchiw well developed; dorsal spines slender, the fins closely contiguous; anal spines 1 or 2, very feeble, the soft rays 7 to 13; second dorsal long and low, more than twice length of anal; ventrals inserted below pectorals, the pubic bone long and strong; caudal fin sub- truncate or lunate. Large fishes chiefly of the waters of America, closely related to the Old World genus Otolithus, from which they are distinguished by the absence of canines in the lower jaw. Allof them rank high as food fishes; the flesh is rich, but in some species tender and easily torn; hence the popular name Weak-fishes. (xUvwv, dog; 6xdov, Sciana; the modern Greek name of Umbrina cirrhosa. ) CYNOSCION: . a, Scales not very small, the lateral line having 55 to 75 pores, the number of transverse series ranging from 55 to 85, being not much in excess of the number of pores; head compressed, not truly conical; upper jaw with distinct canines, the band of teeth in the upper jaw rather narrow, the lower teeth small and in few series in front, larger and uniserial on the sides. ’. Soft rays of the dorsal and anal more or less closely sealed; gill rakers com- paratively long and slender, 9 to 12 on the lower part of the arch, the longest at least 4 the diameter of the eye. c. Soft dorsal of 20 to 23 rays. d. Caudal fin rhombic, the middle rays considerably produced. e. Snout short, bluntish, 42 in head; mouth small, little oblique, the canines quite small; color pale, with faint darker streaks; axil pale, pseudobranchiz sometimes wanting. D.IX-I, 20; A.I, 8. ACOUPA, 1774. ee. Snout long, about 34 in head; maxillary reaching beyond eye; pectoral shortish, 13 in head; color uniformly silvery; axil brown. D. VIII-I, 21 or 22; A.IT, 10. SQUAMIPINNIS, 1775. dd. Caudal fin deeply lunate; the middle rays shorter than the upper ones ; coloration plain; maxillary reaching beyond eye. D.IX-I, 23+ AQ LE, 10. OTHONOPTERUS, 1776. cc. Soft dorsal of 26 to 29 rays; caudal fin subtruncate or double-truncate, the middle rays but slightly produced. Jf. Coloration nearly uniform silvery. g. Caudal truncate; body slender, the depth more than 4 in length; snout short; maxillary not reaching beyondeye. D. X-I, 27; Avy lt: OBLIQUATUS, 1777. gg. Caudal weakly double-concave; body deep, the depth 34 to 33 in length. h. Snout long, 3} in head, longer than eye. JAMAICENSIS, 1778. hh. Snout short, 44 in head, shorter than eye. D. X-I, 27 to 29, A. ET, 9 or 10; NOTHUS, 1779. ff. Coloration brownish silvery above, with many dark brown spots, arranged in undulating streaks; body more or less compressed ; eye moderate, 5to7 in head; maxillary extending to below pos- terior margin of eye, 2} in head; canines large; color brownish silvery, with iridescent reflections, and marked with many small, rather irregular dark-brown spots, some of which form undulat- ing lines running upward and backward; upper fins dusky, lower yellowish. 3030——-11 1402 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. i. Snout not very sharp, about 44 (4 to 44) in head; gill rakers long and slender, usually 5+10 to 12 in number; membranes of soft dorsal and anal more or less closely scaly, the scales readily deciduous. REGALIS, 1780. ii. Snout very sharp, #3 to 3¢ in length of head; gill rakers shorter, rather slender, 4-8 or 9 in number; membrane of soft dorsal and anal with very few scales, these readily deciduous. THALASSINUS, 1781. bb. Soft rays of the dorsal and anal scaleless; gill rakers comparatively short and thickish, usually not longer than pupil, and but 6 to 8 on lower limb of the arch. j. Coloration not uniform, grayish and silvery, the back with distinct darker spots, Jines, or retienlations; caudal fin truncate, or slightly double- concave. k. Soft dorsal immaculate; back and sides covered with dark-brown streaks and reticulations which obscure the ground color, espe- cially above the lateral line; lateral line in a pale streak, bordered above and below by a darker one; lower parts silvery; fins unspotted; body deep; snout not sharp, pectorals 15 in head. D. NET 28) AL sale nO), RETICULATUS, 1782. kk. Soft dorsal fin with conspicuous round black spots; back and sides covered with similar spots smaller than the pupil, larger than those on the fins; snout acute, much longer than eye; pectoral 21in head. D. X-I, 25 to 27; A.II, 10. NEBULOSUS, 1783. jj. Coloration nearly uniform, bluish gray above, silvery below; no distinct spots, on body or fins. l. Caudal fin somewhat lunate in the adult, the middle rays shortest, although more or less produced in the young; pectoral fin short, not reaching tips of ventrals. D. X—I, 22 or 23; A. II, 10. PARVIPINNIS, 1784. Wu. Caudal fin always double-truncate or doubie-concave, the middle rays somewhat produced. m. Pectoral fins reaching nearly or quite to the tips of ventrals, their Jength more than 4 head. n. Second dorsal of 20 or 21 rays. o. Seales small (12-86-2), the number of pores in the lateral line about 70; head rather long, com- pressed and pointed; body slender; eye large; pectorals 12 in head. D.IX-I, 20; A.II, 8. XANTHULUS, 1785. oo. Seales moderate (8-66-18), the pores in the lateral line about 63; head large, bluntish; body robust; snout short, 4 to 44 in head. D. X-I,21; A.TI, 9. ALBUS, 1786. nn. Second dorsal of 24 rays; scales rather large, in 85 series, the number of pores about 55; snout sharp, 42 in head; maxillary 2} in head; body robust; gill rakers 2+9; caudal double-truncate; pectorals 14 in head; color gray, unmarked. MACDONALDI, 1787 mm. Pectoral fins short, reaching little past middle of ventrals, their length not more than 4 head; body elongate; snout sharp, 4in head. D. X-I, 21; A.1II, 9. STOLZMANNI, 1788. ATRACTOSCION (atpaktos, spindle; oxiov, Scicena) : aa. Scales comparatively small; the number of pores in the lateral line 70 to 90, and very much less than the number of transverse rows, which is from 85 to 150; teeth of upper jaw in a rather broad band, 1 to 4 of them usually more or less canine-like, the canines generally small, and sometimes wholly disappearing with age; Jateral teeth of lower jaw not much enlarged; gill rakers usually small and short. Jordan and Evermann.—lishes of North America, 1403 p. Caudal fin lunate or subtruncate; scales not very small; head more or less dis- tinctly conical, not flattened above; soft dorsal with 21 to 23 rays. q. Soft dorsal wholly scaleless. r. Pectoral fin rather long, more than 4 head; flesh firm; scales of sides of head not silvery; head pointed; snout long, sharp, 32 in head; caudal lunate; color pale, young with dark cross bands; a dusky spotinaxil. D.X, 21 or 22; A.II, 9. NOBILIs, 1789. rr. Pectoral fins short, not more than 4 length of head; flesh rather soft; sides of head bright silvery; head very regularly conical, pointed, tapering, scarcely compressed; snout very acute; 34 in head; canines quite small, usually but 1 present, and this dis- appearing with age; eye small, 74 in head; body slender, subfu- siform, moderately compressed. Scales small, all cycloid, those on head embedded and bright silvery; pectorals and ventrals about equal 2 in head; caudal lunate. Color grayish above, with bright reflections; inside of mouth deep orange yellow; lining of operele black; axil brownish. PHOXOCEPHALUS, 1790. qq. Soft dorsal fin with its lower portion covered with small, caducous scales. Body compressed; head compound-conic; canines small, both pres- ent; pectorals 2 in head; caudal weakly double truncate. D. IX, I, 21 to 23; A.II, 10. LEIARCHUS, 1791. pp. Caudal fin rhombic or S-shaped, the middle rays produced, the upper lobe usually pointed; soft dorsal with 23 to 28 rays. s. Soft dorsal entirely naked; anal with a few scales; body long and low, spindle-shaped; head depressed above; mouth large; canines present, short and thick; eye small, caudal S-shaped, the middle rays longest; pectorals 14 in head; scales very small. D, X-I, 28; A.I,8. VIRESCENS, 1792. ss. Soft dorsal and anal fins densely scaly throughout; teeth all small, the canines moderate; scales very small; pectoral 13 in head; caudal S-shaped; color greenish, silvery below. D. XI-I, 23; A. II, 9. MICROLEPIDOTUS, 1793. Subgenus CYNOSCION. 1774. CYNOSCION ACOUPA* (Lacépéde). (AcoupPA; TOEROE.) Head 34; depth 4; eye 52; snout 4%. D. X-I, 20; A. I, 8; scales 66. Mouth moderate, not very oblique; the maxillary reaching little beyond eye, its length about 2} in head. Snout short, bluntish; mouth smaller and less oblique than in most of the species, the canines quite small; the lateral teeth of lower jaw smaller and more nearly equal than in others; lower jaw a little protruding; maxillary extending to posterior margin of eye, 24 in head; gill rakers 3-+ 10, long and slender, those near the angle rafher long, % eye, the others rapidly shortened; eye large; soft dorsal and anal scantily scaled, the distal half largely naked, the fins rather high, the longest soft rays 24 in head; caudal pointed; pectorals 14 in head, not reaching tips of ventrals; color pale, with faint darker streaks along sides of back; axil pale; opercle dusky within. Atlantic coast of * The statement is made by Dr. Giinther that this species lacks pseudobranchiz, and on this assertion Dr. Gill has proposed for it the generic name Apseudobranchus. It is true in this as in other species of Cynoscion that the pseudobranchiz become smaller with age. Usually they become (in old specimens) obsolete on one side while they are per- fectly evident on the other This is the case with all the oid specimens of this species which we have examined, and it is true also in several others of the larger species. The genus Apseudobranchus is strictly synonymous with Oynoscion. 1404 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. South America, Brazil north to Venezuela; generally common; the speci- mens here described (10892 M.C.Z.) from Cachiura. (Acoupa, a Portu- guese name in Guiana. ) Cheilodipterus acoupa, LACHPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 111, 546, 1802, Cayenne. Lutjanus cayennensis, LACEPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 1v, 196 and 245, 1802, Cayenne. Otolithus rhomboidalis, CuviER, Régne Animal, Ed, 2, I, 173, 1829, Cayenne; based on Lutjan de Cayenne, LACEPEDE. Otolithus toeroe, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., V, 72, pl. 103, 1830, Cayenne; same type as Lutjan de Cayenne, LACEPEDE, Surinam; Brazil; Lake Maracaibo; CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 1x, 478, 1833. Ololithus cayennensis, GUNTHER, Cat., U, 309, 1860. Cynoscion acoupa, JORDAN, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1886, 588. Cestreus acoupa, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. ¢., 363, 1889. 1775. CYNOSCION SQUAMIPINNIS (Gunther). Head 3}; depth 4; eye about 6; snout 34. D. VIII, 21 or 22; A. IT, 10; scales 10-70-23. Mouth moderate, not very oblique; snout long; maxil- lary reaching a little beyond eye, its length about 2} in head; pectoral shortish, 13 in head; lower jaw very prominent; lateral line becoming straight opposite front of anal; caudal rhombic, its middle rays produced, longer than the outer rays; soft dorsal and anal scaly; gill rakers long and slender about «+11; dorsal spines weak, the longest 24 in head. Color, uniform silvery; sides minutely punctulate; axil brown; ventrals yellowish. Pacific coast of tropical America; known from a few speci- mens taken at La Union and Panama; those here described in the Museum at Cambridge. (squama, scale; pinna, fin.) Otolithus squamipinnis, GUNTHER, Fishes Central America, 387 and 429, 1869, Panama. Cynoscion squamipinne, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 232. Cestreus squamipinnis, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 364, 1889. 1776. CYNOSCION OTHONOPTERUS, Jordan & Gilbert, Head 3,4;; depth 4; eye 63 in head. D. IX-I, 23; A. II, 10; scales 66, 60 pores. Body rather elongate, the back somewhat elevated, the profile from tip of snout to dorsal nearly straight; caudal peduncle rather long and slender, its depth 4 in head. Head long and pointed, compressed, not regularly conical; mouth large, the lower jaw projecting; maxillary broad, reaching to or a little beyond posterior margin of orbit; premax- illaries in front on the level of lower part of pupil; length of gape 24 in head. Teeth in upper jaw in a moderate band which becomes narrower laterally; upper jaw with 2 small canines, their length scarcely + diam- eter of pupil; some of the other anterior teeth enlarged and larger than the lateral teeth; teeth in lower jaw in a narrow band in front, in a single series laterally, the lateral teeth much larger than the anterior. Eye moderate, broader than preorbital, narrower than maxillary, its diameter a little greater than 4 interorbital space; preopercle with its membranaceous border broad and covered with small scales. Gill rakers long and strong, nearly as longas eye. Scales small, all with conspicuous membranaceous edges; all the fins excepting spinous dorsal completely cov- ered with small scales, the bases of the fins thickened by them; a few scales | Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 1405 on front of spinous dorsal; lateral line considerably curved anteriorly, becoming straight at a point in front of the vent, near the origin of the soft dorsal; dorsal spines comparatively long and strong, little flexible, the third spine slightly longer than the second, 2? in length of head; first spine short and slender, about + length of second; dorsals not connected ; second dorsal rather high, its longest rays 34 in head; caudal fin large, lunate, the outer rays about 4 longer than the middle rays, which are 24 in head; anal large, as long as high, its distal margin perfectly straight, its longest rays about 4 length of head; anal spines small, enveloped in the scaly skin, the second about } height of first soft ray; anal fin termi- nating considerably in front of dorsal; ventrals long, not reaching quite halfway to vent, their length about 4 that of head; pectorals broad, rather long, reaching a little beyond tips of ventrals, and contained 12 in length of head. Slaty-bluish above, silvery below, with bright reflec- tions; body and fins everywhere with dark punctulations; tip of chin dark; fins yellowish, the upper all with dark edging; pectorals blackish on the posterior side, the axil and the large axillary scale dusky; lower jaw bright silvery; lining of opercle dark; peritoneum pale. Length 2 feet. Gulf of California; known from 2 large specimens taken in the Gulf of California. (o§0vn, veil; zrepo vy, fin, from its scaly dorsal.) Cynoscion squamipinnis, STREETS, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., vil, 49, 1877, off San Ygnacio River, Gulf of California; not Otolithus squamipinnis, GUNTHER. Cynoscion othonopterum, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 274, Punta San Felipe, Mexico. (Type, No. 29385. Coll. Lieut. Nichols.) Cestreus othonopterus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 364, 1889. 1777. CYNOSCION OBLIQUATUS (Valenciennes). Head 3}; depth 54; eye 5 in head; snout about 5. D. eet AC Al’ seales 60: Caudal truncate; body rather slender; maxillary reaching posterior third of eye; pectoral as long as ventral; coloration uniform silvery; scales of fins undescribed. (Sauvage.) Martinique. This species is unknown to us.* The increased number of dorsal rays leads us to place it in the neighborhood of C. nothus, with which species the scanty de- scription agrees in most respects. C. nothus has, however, not been recorded from the West Indies. (obliquatus, rendered oblique.) Otolithus obliquatus (VALENCIENNES MS.) Sauvaae, Bull. Soe. Philom. Paris, 11, 1879, 209, Martinique. Cestreus obliquatus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. ¢., 365, 1889. * The following is the account published by Dr. Sauvage: “Un Otolithe étiquetté dans la collection du Muséum Otolithus obliquatus de la main de Valenciennes, n’est pas décrit dans l Histoire des Poissons. Voisine de I’ Otolithus thalas- sinus Holbr., cette espéce en difféere par le moins grand nombre d’écailles ala ligne latérale et l’eil plus grand; la forme de la caudale la sépare del’ Otolithus nothus Holbr., des mémes parages. Voici la diagnose des deux ex emplaires recueillis 4 la Martinique par M. Plée: “D. X, 28; A.I,11; L.lat. 60. Hauteur de corps contenue cing fois un tiers, longueur de la téte trois fois et trois quarts dans la longueur totale du corps ; museau un peu plus long que le diamétre de l'ceil, que est contenue cing fois dans la longueur de la téte; machoire inférienre plus longue que la supérieure; des canines assez fortes A la mAchoire supérieure seulement; maxillaire arrivant au niveau du tiers postérieur de lil; angle du preopercule arrondi et un peu rejeté en arriére; dentelures du préopercule bien visibles, plus fortes 4 langle. Caudale tronquée; pectorales de méme longueur que les vertrales. Ligne latérale assez incuryée vers le milieu de sh longueur. Coloration uniforme. Lon- gueur du corps 0,200.” 1406 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, 1778. CYNOSCION JAMAICENSIS (Vaillant & Bocourt). (MONGOLAR DRUMMER.) Head 3; depth 34 (42 with caudal); eye 44 in head. D.X-I, 26 or 27; A. 1,9; scales ye snout 3} in head, longer than eye; maxillary to below middle of pupil, 24 in head; lower jaw projecting; depth of head over hinder mar- gin of eye, 1} in its length. A single large canine in front of upper jaw, 4 or 5 small teeth on side of lower jaw, other teeth few and small; tongue free at end and sides, with a broad median groove; slit of poste- rior nostril nearly vertical. Gill rakers 3+-7, the longest } eye. Opercu- lar flap extending beyond upper base of pectoral; preopercle with a membranous margin. Dorsals contiguous; membrane of anal scaled almost to tip, that of dorsal about halfway. Scales weakly ctenoid, those on top of head irregular in size. Pectorals about equal in length to ventrals, 1} in head; caudal doubly concave, middle rays longest. Curve of lateral line gradual, becoming straight behind the fourth dorsal ray. Color in alcohol, very dark olive above, the entire sides with golden luster, paler below; dorsals, pectorals, and caudal lightly punctate, lower fins colorless. This species is closely related to Cynoscion obliquatus, differing in having the caudal doubly concave, and the anal with but 9 rays, and especially in its much more robust form. Jamaica. Here described from 4 specimens 8 to 10 inches long, sent us by Rev. Joseph Seed Roberts, of Kingston, Jamaica. Otolithus jamaicensis,* VAILLANT & BocourT, Miss. Sci. au Mexique, Poissons, 156, 1874, Jamaica. (Type, No. A, 557, Mus. Paris. Coll. F. Bocourt.) Cynoscion jamaicensis, JORDAN & RUTTER, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1897, 114. 1779. CYNOSCION NOTHUS (Holbrook). (BASTARD WEAKFISH.) Head 33; depth 32; eye 4; snout4i. D. X-I, 27 to 29; A. II, 9 or 10; scales 6-58 to 62-7. Caudal weakly double concave; body rather deep; eye very large, equal to interorbital width; body more compressed than in other species, the back somewhat elevated; snout rather short, not very acute, mouth smaller than in related species; maxillary 2} in head, reach- ing to below posterior margin of pupil; gill rakers long and ee 4-19, the longest 4 eye; lower pharyngeals very slender; dorsal fins contigu- ous; membrane of soft dorsal scaled to its tips; scales weakly ctenoid; lateral line much curved anteriorly, becoming straight under seventh dorsal spine. Color grayish silvery, thickly punctulate above and on sides to level of pectoral: then ny silvery, a row of dark cea * The folleeing | is the substance of the original account of Giana ioe Head 4; depth 41. D. X-I, 25; A. II,9. Scales 6-59-18. Body moderately elevated, lower jaw projecting; snout nearly 3 in head; maxillary reaching nearly to opposite mid- dle of eye; eye equal to interorbital space, 44 in head; preoper cle rounded; scales moder- ate; lateral line rising anteriorly almost to upper fourth of depth of body, becoming median under fourth soft ray of dorsal; soft dorsal scaly. Vent at end of third fifth of total length. Dorsal spines feeble, the fourth longest, nearly 4 head; anal spines very weak, the second 14 in eye; pectoral 13 in head, reaching tips of ventrals. Caudal shortish, the middle rays longest. No pseudobrane hie (in ty pe). Color plain silvery in spirits, without mar kings. Jamaica; onespecimen m. 240 in length. (Vaillant & Bocourt.) Jordan and E-vermann.—Fishes of North America, 1407 marking the line of division; snout and tip of lower jaw blackish; mouth white within; lower fins white, upper dusky. South Atlantic and Gulf coasts of United States; rather rare at Charleston; a very well marked species, differing in numerous respects from the others, regalis, thalassinus, nebulosus, found in the same waters. The specimens here described are from Charleston. (vo§os, bastard.) Otolithus nothus, HOLBROOK, Ichth. 8. Carolina, 134, pl. 19, fig. 1, 1860, South Carolina; GUNTHER, Cat., 1, 308, 1860. Cynoscion nothus, GOODE & BEAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1879, 131; JoRDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 580, 1883. Cestreus nothus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 366, 1889. 1780. CYNOSCION REGALIS (Bloch & Schneider). (COMMON WEAKFISH; SQUETEAGUE; ‘‘SEA TROUT.’’) Head 34; depth 44; eye about 14 in snout, 5 to 7 in head; snout 4 to 44. D. X-I, 26 to 29; A. II, 11 to 13; scales 6-56-11. Maxillary reaching to beyond pupil, 2 in head; teeth sharp, in narrow bands; canines large. Pectorals short, scarcely reaching tips of ventrals, a little more than 4 length of head; longest dorsal spine as long as maxillary, not } length of head; soft dorsal and anal scaly, the scales caducous. Gill rakers long and sharp,5-+11 in number. Color silvery, darker above and marked with many small, irregular dark blotches, some of which form undulating lines running downward and forward; back and head with bright reflec- tions; dorsal and caudal fins dusky; ventrals, anal, and lower edge of caudal yellowish, sometimes speckled. Atlantic and Gulf coast of the United States from Cape Cod southward to Mobile; very abundant on sandy shores, not found about rocks. It is highly valued as a food-fish, the flesh being rich and delicate. Its flesh, like that of most species of the genus, is very tender and easily torn, hence the common name Weakfish. On the Carolina coast it has received the very inappropriate name ‘‘Sea Trout.” The bluefish (Pomatomus) is especially destructive to individuals of this species, the two inhabiting the same waters and often taken together. (regalis, royal; suggested by the name “ Kingfish,” which belongs, however, to Menticirrhus. ) Johinus regalis, BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 75, 1801, New York. Roceus comes, MITcHILL, Report, in part, Fishes New York, 26, 1814, New York. Labrus squeteague, MircuiLi, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. New York 1815, 396, pl. 2, fig. 1, New York. Otolithus regalis, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 67, 1830. Cynoscion regale, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862,18; JorDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 581, 1883. Cestreus regalis, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 366, pl. 1, 1889. 1781. CYNOSCION THALASSINUS (Holbrook). The form called Otolithus thalassinus by Holbrook has not been recog- nized by later collectors, and it has usually been considered identical with C. regalis. A specimen taken by Mr. Silas Stearns at Pensacola seems to answer to Holbrook’s description, and we have found 2 similar speci- mens in the museum at Cambridge, one (No. 438, M. C. Z.) from Pass 1408 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. Christian, Mississippi, the other from Hampton Roads, Virginia. The only differential characters which we have noted are given above in the analysis of species. Cynoscion thalassinus may, perhaps, be found to inhabit a different depth of water than that which the common Weakfish frequents. For the present we may treat the 2 as distinct species. Depth 43; head 34; D. X-I, 24; A. II, 11; scales 56. Body compressed, not especially elevated, of about the same depth everywhere between the ventrals and the vent; caudal peduncle rather long and stout. Head pointed, subconical; profile straight, scarcely descending; eye rather large, 12 in snout, 54 in head; mouth large, oblique, premaxillary ante- riorly on a level with the upper margin of the pupil; maxillary ex- tending beyond the pupil; lower jaw strongly projecting, its tip entering the profile. Teeth of the lower jaw in 2 series, anteriorly in a single series, those in front small and subequal, the inner ones recurved, those of the side much larger; teeth of upper jaw in 2 series, those of the outer series scarcely decreasing in size toward the angle, those of the inner series becoming minute on the sides; canines moderate, + the diam- eter of the eye. Preopercle with a striated and dentated dermal margin; gill rakers slender; those near the angle 4+ the length of the eye; lower pharyngeals weak and long, grooved below; teeth at the angle several times as large as the rest, all more or less recurved, the anterior ones specially so; teeth of the upper pharyngeals unequal. First dorsal spine inserted above the end of the first fourth of the ventrals, the spines slender, the third highest, reaching to the ninth spine, 2? in head; second anal spine about twice as large as the first, 23 in length of eye; anal rays 2% in head; pectorals broken; ventrals slightly less than 2 in head; soft dorsal apparently not scaly, but so mutilated in our specimen that we can not be certain of this; scales very weakly ctenoid; lateral line somewhat wavy anteriorly, becoming straight under the fourth or fifth dorsal ray. Color brownish above, lighter below; middle of sides with many dark dots; a dark blotch on upper corners of opercle and cheek; axil and inner margin of pectoral black; spinous dorsal black; soft dorsal and caudal dusky; the rest of the fins pale. The specimen from Pass Christian has no scales on dorsal or anal at present, but the marks showing their former presence on the basal parts of the fin are evident. Gill rakers «-++8, the longest } eye; snout 3}? in head. D. X-I, 25; A. I, 10. In the specimen from Hampton Roads the gill rakers are «+9; snout 34in head. D.X-I, 25. The coloration is essentially as in regalis, but in all these specimens it is more silvery, the dark markings less distinct. Length 12 inches. (thalassinus, pertaining to )a@Aad6a, the sea.) Otolithus thalassinus, HOLBROOK, Ichth. South Carolina, 132, pl. 18, fig. 2, 1859, Charles- ton, South Carolina; GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 308. Cunoscion thalassinus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis. 581. Cestreus regalis thalassinus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 366. 1782. CYNOSCION RETICULATUS (Giinther). (CORVINA. ) Head 34; depth 4%. D. X-I, 28; A. II, 9; scales 9-60-15. Body com- paratively deep and compressed; head somewhat conical, the snout not a Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1409 very sharp, 33 in head; maxillary extending to below posterior margin of pupil, 22 in head; eye 7 in head; gill rakers shortish, 3+-7; ventrals 1} in pectorals; soft rays of dorsal and anal scaleless; pectorals about 1} in length of head; highest dorsal spine about 23 in head; caudal double truncate. Color grayish silvery; back and sides covered with dark-brown streaks and reticulations, which obscure the ground color, especially above the lateral line; lateral line in a pale streak, bordered above and below by a darker one; lower parts silvery; fins unspotted; caudal yellowish orange; inside of mouth deep orange yellow. Length3 feet. Pacific coast of tropical America, Mazatlan to Panama; a common food-fish on the west coast of Mexico. (reticulatus, netted.) Otolithus reticulatus, GUNTHER, Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1864, 149, San José de Guatemala, Chiapas; GijNTHER, Fishes Central America, 387, 388, and 430, 1869. Cynoscion reticulatum, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 232; JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. 1881, 319. Cestreus reticulatus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l.c., 368, 1889. 1783. CYNOSCION NEBULOSUS (Cuvier & Valenciennes). (SPOTTED WEAKFISH; SPOTTED ‘‘ SEA TROUT.”’) Head 34; depth 44; eye small, 6 to 7 in head. D. X-I, 25 to 27; A. II, 10; scales 10-70 to 75-11. Body rather elongate, compressed; snout long, acute, 32 in head; lower pharyngeals narrow, each with 7 or 8 series of short teeth, the inner enlarged. Gill rakers short and thick, not longer than pupil, about 4+7 in number; maxillary reaching to posterior edge of eye; canines strong; maxillary, preorbital, and lower jaw naked; longest dorsal spine not quite + the length of the head; pectorals short, not reaching tips of ventrals, 2} in head; caudal lunate; soft rays of dorsal and anal sealeless. Bright silvery, darker above; back posteriorly with numerous round black spots as large as the pupil; both caudal and dorsal fins marked with similar, somewhat smaller spots, much as in a trout; anal dusky. South Atlantic and Gulf Coast of the United States, New York to Texas; a most excellent food-fish, everywhere common on our Southern coast; rare north of Virginia. The northernmost locality from which we have examined specimens is Beesley Point, New Jersey. (nebu- losus, clouded. ) Labrus squeteague var. maculatus, MireuiLy, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. 1815, 396, New York; not Labrus maculatus, BLOCH. Otolithus nebulosus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 79, 1830, locality unknown. Otolithus carolinensis, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 1x, 475, 1833, South Carolina; GUNTHER, Cat., If, 306, 1860. Otolithus drummondi, RICHARDSON, Fauna Bor.-Am., Fish., 70, 1836, New Orleans; GIRARD, U.S. and Mex. Bound. Survey, Zool., 12, pl. 6, 1859; GUNTHER, Cat., II, 307, 1860. Cestreus carolinensis, GRONOW, Cat. Fish., Ed. Gray, 49, 1854. Cynoscion carolinensis, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1878, 377. Oynoscion maculatum, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus. 1882, 285; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 581, 1883; JORDAN & SwAIN, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1884, 233. Cestreus nebulosus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, I. c., 368, 1889. 1410 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 1784. CYNOSCION PARVIPINNIS, Ayres. (CALIFORNIA ‘‘ BLUEFISH."’) Head 33; depth 44. D. X-I, 22 or 23; A. II, 10; scales 13-75 (pores)-14, about 95 in a longitudinal series; eye 6 in head; highest dorsal spine 23; pectoral 24; ventrals 2. Body elongate, shaped much as in the weakfish; maxillary extending beyond pupil, 2} in head; canine large, usually but a single one present; snout rather sharp, 4 in head; gill rakers shortish, 4-+7; pharyngeals narrow, their teeth small, cardiform, the inner ones somewhat enlarged; soft rays of dorsal and anal scaleless; caudal fin somewhat lunate in the adult, the middle rays shortest, although more or less produced in the young; pectoral fin short, not reaching tips of ventrals. Color clear steel blue above, without stripes or spots; silvery below; a narrow dusky shade along the sides below the lateral line; axil dusky; lower fins yellowish, with dusky shading; upper fins dark; second dorsal dark edged. Pacific coast of North America from Santa Barbara Islands to Guaymas and Mazatlan; common along the coasts of southern California as far north as San Pedro. It is an excellent food-fish, not infe- rior to its relative, the weakfish of the Atlantic coast. As in the case of the latter species, the flesh of Cynoscion parvipinnis is soft, and the fish does not bear transportation well. (parvus, small; pinna, fin.) Oynoscion parvipinnis, AYRES, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1861, 156, coast of Lower California. Otolithus magdalence,* SYEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beit., 111, 34, 1875, Magdalena Bay, Lower California. Cynoscion parvipinne, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 456; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 580, 1883. Cestreus parvipinnis, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, I. ¢., 369, 1889. 1785. CYNOSCION XANTHULUS, Jordan & Gilbert. (CORVINA DE LAS ALETAS AMARILLAS.) Head 34; depth44. D. [X-I, 20; A.II,8. Scales 12-66 (pores) -x, 86 rows of scales. Head rather long, compressed and pointed; maxillary a little less than $ head, reaching just past eye; lateral line becoming straight opposite the vent; body rather slender, compressed; eye large, 6 in head; premaxillaries in front entirely below eye; canines small, 2 usually pres- ent; gill rakers short and thick, not longer than pupil, 6 to 8 on lower limb of arch; longest dorsal spine 2} in head; longest soft ray 23; middle rays of caudal considerably produced, 14 in head; anal spine rather small and stout; ventrals little more than 2 in head; pectoral fins reaching nearly or quite to the tips of ventrals, their length 13 in head. Scales smaller than in related species. Color bluish above, silvery below; upper parts and especially the middle of the sides punctate with dark points; upper fins dark, their margins dusky, lining of opercle black; inside of mouth bright yellow in life. Caudal yellow. Length3 feet. Pacific coast “The types of Otolithus magdalene, from Magdalena Bay, are preserved in the museum at Cambridge. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, aa of Mexico, not rare about Mazatlan; a food-fish of some importance. (Eavbos, yellow; ovAor, singular of ovAa, the gums.) Cynoscion xanthulum, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 460, Mazatlan (Type, No. 28109. Coll. Gilbert); JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull, U.S. Fish Comm. 1882, 107. Cestreus xanthulum, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, J. c., 369, 1889. 1786. CYNOSCION ALBUS (Giinther). Head 34; depth 4 to 44. D. X-I, 21; A. II, 9; scales 8-63 (pores)-18, 66 series of scales. Head large, bluntish, the snout shorter than in C. stolzmanni, 4 to 44 in head; eye 64; maxillary nearly } head, reach- ing well past eye; gill rakers ? eye, about 4+8. Body rather robust; lateral line becoming straight at a point well in advance of vent; dorsal spines slender, the longest 24} in head; soft rays of dorsal and anal scale- less; caudal double truncate, the middle rays longer than the head without snout; pectorals nearly reaching tips of ventrals, more than } length of head; second anal spine evident. Color white, somewhat bluish above, without markings. Pacific coast of tropical America, not rare at Panama. Like the others of the genus, it is a food-fish of importance. This species is close to Cynoscion canthulus, but the scales are larger. (albus, white.) Otolithus albus, GUNTHER, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1864, 149, Chiapas; Panama; GiNrTHER, Fishes Central America, 387 and 429, 1869; STEINDACHNER, Neue u. Seltene Fische k. k. Zool. Mus. Wien, 36, 1879. Otolithus cayennensis, VAILLANT & BocourtT, Miss. Sci. Mexique, Poiss., 156, 1874; specimen from La Union; not cayennensis, LACEPEDE. Cynoscion album, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U.S. Fish. Comm. 1881, 319. Cestreus albus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, J. c., 370, 1889. 1787. CYNOSCION MACDONALDI, Gilbert. (TOTUAVA.) Head 33; depth 4; eye 53 in head (in young), 12 (in adult); snout 42, D, IX-I, 24; A. II, 7; scales 13-85 to 90-22, 50 to 55 pores. Snout sharp; lower jaw protruding, mouth moderate, somewhat oblique, the maxillary reaching vertical from middle of orbit, 22? to 22 in head. No enlarged canines on either jaw; teeth in front of premaxillaries mainly in 2 distinct rows, uniting laterally to form a narrow band, the inner row composed of smaller teeth directed downward and backward, the outer series of stronger conical teeth, a few scattering teeth between the 2 rows; teeth in the lower jaw in a narrow, irregular double series. Eye small. Both vertical and horizontal limbs of preopercle minutely serru- late, entire in thé adult; opercle ending in a flattened process showing 2 short spinous points, emarginate behind in the adult, without evident Spinous points; gill rakers about diameter of pupil, strong, toothed, 1 or 2 above angle, 9 or 10 below. Scales very strongly ctenoid, becoming greatly reduced on nape, about 25 to 40 transverse series between occiput and front of dorsal; a narrow, definite, scaly sheath at base of dorsal and anal, these fins otherwise naked; caudal scaled for a short distance on basai portion; scales above lateral line rapidly increasing in size back- wards, 13 in a transverse series between lateral line and front of dorsal; 1412° = Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, dorsal spines low and weak, the rays not high, the longest 34 in head; second anal spine slender but not flexible, its length 14 in soft rays; caudal double truncate, the median rays much produced, equaling length of head behind snout in the adult as usual, shorter, gently rounded; ventrals 14 in head; pectorals in the young short, scarcely reaching tips of ventrals, 14 in head, in the adult long and falcate, reaching much beyond ventrals. Color, young: Dusky silvery, with coarse black specks along lower part of head and sides; upper half of sides with many irreg- ular blackish spots or blotches, showing little or no tendency to form streaks; dorsals dusky, the basal portion with small black spots; other fins blackish; the caudal lighter at base; mouth white within; lining of gill cavity black, becoming yellow on lining of branchiostegal membranes. In adult, bluish above, dusky silvery on sides and below; no evident black spots or blotches on body or fins; vertical fins blackish, paired fins dusky. Gulf of California; largest of its genus; a huge food-fish, very abundant along the entire eastern shore of the gulf and congregating in great numbers near the mouth of the Colorado River. It enters the river and is found feeding in shallow water near the shore, where it is easily approached and speared. It does not seem to be known at La Paz, and was not seen by us on the western side of the gulf. Many specimens were taken by hand lines at the head of the gulf, the largest weighing 172 pounds. Large specimens were also seen at Guaymas and at the mouth of the Rio del Fuerte. At Guaymas it is said to be a winter visitant, unknown during the summer months. (Gilbert.) (Named for Hon. Mar- shall McDonald, then U. 8. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries. ) Cynoscion macdonaldi, GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1890, 64, head of Gulf of California. (Coll. Gilbert.) 1788. CYNOSCION STOLZMANNI (Steindachner). Head 33; depth 44. D.IX-I, 21; A. II, 9; scales 10-73-10, -60 pores. Pectoral fins short, reaching little past middle of ventrals, their length not more than + head; body elongate, somewhat compressed; mouth oblique; maxillary 2} in head, extending to posterior margin of pupil; snout rather sharp, 4 in head; canines rather small; gill rakers shortish, 4 +7; body comparatively siender and elongate; scales rather large, all strongly ctenoid; dorsal and anal scaleless; lateral line becoming straight just before front of second dorsal; longest dorsal spines 2} in head; soft dorsal slightly faleate, the first rays about 2 in head; caudal large and broad, double truncate; ventrals 1% in head. Color steel bluish above, lower parts silvery; no distinct markings. Pacific coast of tropical America; Panama to Peru, not rare about Panama. (Named for its discoverer, Stolzmann. ) Otolithus stolzmanni, STEINDACHNER, Neue u. Seltene Fische k. k. Zool. Mus. Wien 1879, 35, pl. 2, fig. 1, Tumbez, Peru. Cynoscion stolzmanni, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. 1881, 320. Cestreus stolzmanni, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, J. c., 370, 1889. Jordan and Evermann,—Fishes of North America, 1413 Subgenus ATRACTOSCION, Gill. 1789. CYNOSCLON NOBILIS (Ayres). (“WHITE SEA BASS” OF CALIFORNIA.) Head 32; depth 4. D. X-I, 21 to 23; A. II, 9; scales 12-88-14, pores 70 to 80. Head pointed, subconical, little compressed; profile rather steep; snout sharp, rather long, 3? in head; maxillary extending beyond pupil, anteriorly on a level with the lower margin of the pupil, 24 in head; canines small, becoming obsolete with age; lateral teeth of lower jaw not much enlarged; pharyngeals long and slender, with 4 series of teeth, the inner series several times larger than the rest; gill rakers short, 2 +7; scales very small, those on head little embedded and less silvery than in related species; maxillary with a few embedded scales; scales on snout running to its tip; caudal lunate, its middle rays less than } length of head; both anal spines evident, the second about 4 length of the rays; pectoral fins rather long, more than 4 head; soft dorsal and anal scaleless. Color bluish, little silvery; everywhere punctulate; young with 3 or 4 distinct dusky cross bars; axil and fins dusky; a dusky blotch at base of pectoral, extending on whole inner face of the fin; scales of side of head not silvery. Coast of California, north to San Francisco, occasionally straying farther; a specimen once taken near Victoria by Mr. Ashdown Green. A most valuable food-fish, reaching a weight of 80 pounds or more, its flesh firm and rich. The banded young (californiensis) are quite different in appearance and are taken for a distinct species by fishermen as they have been by Steindachner. (nobilis, noble.) Johinus nobilis, AYRES, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sei. 1860, 78, San Francisco. (Coll. Ayres.) Otolithus californiensis, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitr., 1, 31, 1875, San Diego, Cali- fornia, and Magdalena Bay, Lower California ; young with dark bands. Cynoscion nobilis, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 456. Atractoscion nobilis, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 579 and 933, 1883. Cestreus nobilis, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 370, 1889. 1799. CYNOSCION PHOXOCEPHALUS, Jordan & Gilbert. Head 34; depth 44 to 42; eye 74 in head. OD. IX-I, 21; A. ITI, 10; scales 17-90-15, pores about 80. Body not very elongate, fusiform, little com- pressed, the greatest thickness nearly 3 the greatest depth; back scarcely elevated nor compressed, the profile from the snout to the front of the dor- sal nearly straight; head conical, little compressed, pointed in profile, taper- ing with much regularity toward the tip of the projecting lower jaw; length of mandible more than } that of head; mouth large, very oblique, the premaxillary in front on the level of the upper part of the orbit, the broad maxillary extending to below the posterior margin of the eye, 2 in head. Teeth in narrow, cardiform bands in each jaw, the bands composed of about 2 series in front, growing narrow laterally, and finally forming a single series; teeth subequal, with the exception of about 2 pairs in the front of the upper jaw, the posterior pair being developed as small canines directed inward and backward; canines proportionately larger 1414 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. in the smaller specimens than in the adult, but in all they are smaller than is usual in Cynoscion. Eye rather small, a little less than } the length of the snout, a little more than } the breadth of the evenly convex inter- orbital space, which is 33 in head. Gill rakers 3 + 6, thickish, and very short, shorter than the pupil; pseudobranchiw quite small. Scales of lower part of cheeks enlarged, embedded, covered with a silvery skin; scales above eyes, on nape and on border of preopercle much reduced in size; preopercle, as in all species of this genus, entire, with a broad mem- branaceous border; scales on body small and smooth; lateral line scarcely arched in front, becoming straight opposite front of anal. Dorsal fins entirely separate, the spines of the first dorsal slender; second spine shorter than third or fourth, which are considerably elevated, 1} in length of head in young, 2} in the adult; soft dorsal wholly scaleless; second dorsal of moderate height, enveloped in lax, scaleless skin, which is thickened at the base of the fin; longest rays a little more than 4 length of head; anal rather long and low, its longest rays about equal to the length of the base, and a little more than 4 length of head; anal spines very small and weak, wholly enveloped in the skin and not visible; anal fin nearly coterminous with the dorsal, its rays similarly enveloped in loose skin; caudal fin moderate, thickish and scaly at base, lunate, its lobes equal, the middle rays 1} in length of head; ventrals short, about + length of head, reaching about 4 the distance to the vent; pectorals short, not reaching tips of ventrals, 2 in head; distance from vent to base of caudal about 2 its distance from snout. Colorinlife, dark above withstrong bright reflections of purplish-brown; silvery below, the lower part of the caudal peduncle golden yellow; middle of sides noticeably punctulate with brown dots; inside of mouth deep orange yellow; lining of opercle black; dorsal and caudal fins dusky whitish, with more or less of dark edging; lower rays of caudal yellowish; fins otherwise translucent, unmarked; axil of pectoral light yellowish above; the silvery color of the sides of the head and the bright reflections on its upper surface very conspicuous, more so than in any other species of the genus. Length 2 feet; a neat and well- marked species. Pacific coast of Central America; not rare at Panama, (@o€0s, tapering; “~e¢aAn, head.) Cynoscion phoxocephalum, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. 1881, 318, Panama. (Type, No. 29296, 164 inches long. Coll. C. H. Gilbert.) Cestreus phoxocephalus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 371, 1889. 1791. CYNOSCION LEIARCHUS (Cuvier & Valenciennes). Head 34; depth 44. D. IX-I, 21 to 23; A. II, 10; scales 13-90-13, about 80 distinct pores. Soft dorsal fin with its lower portion covered with small caducous scales. Body compressed; head conic, more compressed than in C. phoxocephalus; eye moderate, 5 to 6 in head; maxillary reaching nearly to posterior margin of orbit, 2+ in head; lower jaw much project- ing; upper teeth mostly biserial; canines small, both of them present; lateral teeth of lower jaw small; gill rakers short and slender, 2+7; scales small, chiefly cycloid, those on sides of head bright silvery; lateral line becoming straight above front of anal; soft dorsal and anal scaleless ; Jordan and Evermann,.—Ffishes of North America, 1415 caudal fin subtruncate; pectoral fins moderate, 2 in head; caudal weakly double truneate. Coast of Brazil and Guiana, probably not rare. Here described from specimens from Rio Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Bahia, and Santos. (Aéios, smooth;* apyos, anus.) Otolithusleiarchus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 78, 1830, Brazil; Cayenne; GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 308, 1860; JORDAN, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1886, 540; note on type of CUVIER & VALENCIENNES. Cestreus leiarchus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 371, 1889. 1792. CYNOSCION VIRESCENS (Cuvier & Valenciennes). Head 34; depth 5 to 54. D. X-I, 28; A. II, 8; scales 80 (pores), 125 to 150 cross series. Body long and low, spindle-shaped, the head slender, subtruncate, depressed above, formed much as in Rachycentron canadum; profile from snout to dorsal weakly concave; snout long, rather pointed, 4in head; mouth large, little oblique, the lower jaw strongly projecting, the maxillary 2? in head; canine teeth 2, short and thick; lateral teeth moderate, close-set; eye small, 8} in head; interorbital space flattish, 43 in head; gill rakers short and thickish, 8 below angle of arch, the longest 4 eye; scales on head very small and silvery; soft dorsal wholly naked, a few scales on anal; caudal S-shaped, the middle rays longest; pectoral rather long, 1} in head. Color plain greenish, silvery below; gill cavity dusky within. Coasts of Guiana and Brazil, rather scarce. Here described from a specimen 18 inches long from Victoria, Brazil. (virescens, growing green. ) Otolithus virescens, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 72, 1830, Surinam. Otolithus microps, STEINDACHNER, Neue Fisch-Arten k.k. Museen Wien, Stuttgart und Warschau, 38, pl. 8, fig. 2, 1879, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 1793. CYNOSCION MICROLEPIDOTUS (Cuvier & Valenciennes). Head 33; depth 4+; snout 4 in head; eye large, 43; interorbital space 5y in head. D.XI-I, 23; A, II, 9; scales 70 (pores), 155 to 160 in a longi- tudinal series. Body moderately elongate, covered with very small scales; soft dorsal and anal closely scaly throughout; maxillary extending be- yond eye; lower jaw projecting; teeth moderate; canines rather strong ; lateral teeth of lower jaw not cahine-like; gill rakers not described, prob- ably as in virescens. Dorsal spine slender, the longest 2} in head; pecto- ral slightly longer than ventral, which is slightly more than } head; candal fin §-shaped; lateral line becoming straight above anal. Colora- tion plain greenish, silvery below. Coast of Brazil and Guiana, not com- mon. (Steindachner.) (/2%p0s, small; Aezidwros, scaled.) Otolithus microlepidotus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 79, 1830, Suri- nam; GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 311; STEINDACHNER, Neue und Seltene Fische k. k. Zool. Mus. Wien, 39, 1879. Cestreus microlepidotus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 371. *In the dried skin of the type, a young example in the museum at Paris, the absence of the anal spine (‘‘leiarchus’’) is due to its being covered by varnish. 1416 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, 573. SAGENICHTHYS, Berg. Ancylodon (CUvIER) Oken, Isis, 1182, 1817 (jaculidens = ancylodon) ; not Ancylodon Illiger, 1811, a genus of mammals. Sagenichthys, BerG, Ann. Mus. Nac. Buenos Aires 1895, 52 (ancylodon). This genus is close to Cynoscion, differing mainly in the form of its canines, which are lance-shaped, widened toward the tip, then abruptly narrowed; lateral teeth larger than in Cynoscion. South American; 2 species known. (6ay7vy, seine or net; 2x9vs, fish, from the Spanish name Pescadillo del Red, the most valuable fish netted in Uruguay. ) 1794. SAGENICHTHYS ANCYLODON (Bloch & Schneider). (PESCADILLO DEL RED.) Head 31; depth 4; eye 64 in head. D. IX-I, 27 or 28; A. II, 10; scales 75 (pores), 85 rows. Body oblong, moderately compressed, the general form of species of Cynoscion; mouth oblique, the lower jaw projecting; maxillary moderate, 24 in head; snout rather pointed, 4} in head; preor- bital narrow; large canine of upper jaw very long, lance-shaped, i. e., widened toward the tip and then abruptly pointed; about 2 canines in front of lower jaw on each side, also lance-shaped, but much smaller; outer teeth of upper jaw enlarged and showing something of the same form; enlarged lateral teeth of lower jaw compressed; gill rakers mod- erate, slender, 3-+8, the longest } eye; caudal fin rhombic; spinous dorsal very weak; soft dorsal and anai scaly; pectoral 15 in head; lateral line becoming straight before vent. Color bluish above, silvery below, some- times with dark streaks along the rows of scales; caudal lobe darker, sometimes black. Length 15 inches. Sandy coast of tropical America, both Pacific and Atlantic; common from Guiana southward to Uruguay and Argentine; also common about Panama; a most excellent food-fish. Here described from a specimen from Rio Grande do Sul. Specimens from Panama agree in every respect. If any difference exists it must be sought in companion of specimens in good condition. (ayxUdAos, hooked; dd0vs tooth. ) Lonchurus ancylodon, BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 102, pl. 25, 1801, Surinam. Ancylodon jaculidens, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 81, 1830, Cayenne; GUNTHER, Cat. Fish., 11, 311, 1860; JORDAN*®& GILBERT, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 1882, 111. j Ancylodon ancylodon, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 373, 1889. Sagenichthys ancylodon, BERG, Ann. Mus. Buen. Aires 1895, 52. 574. NEBRIS, Cuvier & Valenciennes. Nebris, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 149, 1830 (microps). Body rather elongate, tapering backward; skull excessively cavernous, soft and spongy to the touch, the interorbital space very broad; mouth large, the lower jaw projecting; teeth subequal, in narrow bands; eye very small; preopercle with a broad membranaceous border, which is stri- ated and fringed; preorbital narrow and flat; slits and pores of upper jaw Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1417 little conspicuous; vertebrie 10+ 14; gill rakers long and slender, scales small; pseudobranchiz present. Air bladder with 2 horns. Soft dorsal and anal long and scaly; spines of fins weak. Lower pharyngeals narrow, separate. Two species; singular-looking fishes allied to Cynoscion, but weakly armed. (Nebris, an old name of some fish. ) a. Seales above lateral line 80, pores 50. MICROPS, 1795. aa. Seales above lateral line 110, pores 55. ZESTUS, 1796. 1795. NEBRIS MICROPS, Cuvier & Valenciennes. Head 3; depth 44; eye minute, 94 in head, 24 in snout, 4 in interorbital area, 14 in width of maxillary, which is very broad. D. VIII-I, 31; A. II, 13; scales 18-85-18, 50 pores. Body plump, anteriorly tapering to the slender caudal peduncle; profile straight, head broad, heavy, extremely spongy above; mouth very large, oblique; lower jaw projecting, premaxillary anteriorly on a level with the middle of the eye; maxillary extending to below posterior margin of orbit, 24 in head; teeth all minute, those of the lower jaw in a single series, those in the upper jaw in a band which widens backward; tongue large and thick; head entirely scaly; margin of the preopercle indistinct, with a very wide membranaceous edge, which is nearly covered with scales; gill rakers long and slender, 5+ 15; scales small, cycloid; lateral line little arched; the bases, at least of all the soft fins, densely covered with small scales; dorsal spines feeble, shorter than the dorsal rays; caudal lanceo- late; pectorals 1} in head; ventrals 13. Color silvery, darker above; pec- torals dusky on their inner margin. Atlantic coast of northern South America, Guiana and Brazil, on sandy shores. (s1xpds, small; «wy, eye.) Nebris microps, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 149, pl. 112, 1830, Surinam ; GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 316, 1860; STEINDACHNER, [chth. Beitr., rv, 10, 1875; JoRDAN & GIL- BERT, Bull. U.S. Fish. Comm. 1882, 111; JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 374. 1796. NEBRIS ZESTUS, Jordan & Starks, new species. Head 34; depth 43. D.VI to VIII, 28 to 31; A.II,12; eye 10 in head; snout 4; maxillary 24; highest dorsal spine 3; pectoral at least 11; ven- tral 2; scales 20-110-20; lateral line with about 55 pores. Body searcely compressed, the dorsal and ventral outlines about equal and uniform. Head large; anterior profile more or less decurved over snout, thence gently curved to dorsal; snout blunt, the nostrils close together and close to eye; mouth large, very oblique, the jaws about equal; maxillary very broad, truncate behind, reaching to posterior margin of eye; teeth villi- form in several series in upper jaw, in 1 in lower, all pointed and curved inward; tongue large and thick; gill rakers slender, the longest a little longer than eye,6+12in number; a short slit behind last gill arch; pseudobranchie very small. Head entirely sealed; scales on head larger than on body; margin of preopercle indistinct, with a wide membranaceous edge; scales along lateral line running to end of caudal rays, nearly twice as large as those on the rest of body. Spines of dorsal very feeble and covered with small scales, the third spine highest, slightly higher than 3030 12 1418 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. soft rays; anal and dorsal closely scaled; anal spines scarcely distin- guishable. Pectorals long, 1} in head, reaching much beyond ventrals; ventrals inserted below base of pectorals, 1* in head; caudal double trun- cate, the middle rays 14 in head. Coloration pale. Length 1 foot or a little more. Sandy shoresabout Panama, rather common. Here described from numerous specimens brought by Dr. Gilbert from Panama. Very close to Nebris microps, the scales apparently smaller. (Ceords, soft-boiled, referring to the soft, very spongy head.) (Types, No. 433, and others, L.S. Jr. Univ. Mus. Coll. Gilbert.) 575. PLAGIOSCION, Gill. Plagioscion, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1861, 82 (a generic description only ; no species or type being indicated.) Diplolepis, STEINDACHNER, Beitriige zur Kenntniss der Scienoiden Brasiliens, 2, 1863, (squamosissimus) ; name preoccupied in Hymenoptera. Plagioscion, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, Review Sciewnide, 380, 1889 (squamosissimus). This genus consists of fresh water Scienoids, inhabiting the rivers of South America, probably occasionally descending to the sea. It is closely allied to Corvula and Pseudotolithus, from both of which it is well dis- tinguished by the peculiar squamation of the lateral line, a character which suggested to Dr. Steindachner the name Diplolepis, the scales of the lateral line being covered with smaller ones. Like most fresh-water fishes, the species of Plagioscion are subject to many variations, especially in regard to the size of the second anal spine. But 3 or 4 of the many nominal species seem to be valid. We attach to this genus, with doubt, a species (heterolepis) which we have not seen and which may belong to Ophioscion. (mAayios, oblique; Gxzov, Sciwna.) a. Second anal spine small, scarcely longer than eye, 4 to 54 times in length of head, b. Dorsal rays X-I, 31 or 32. : 8QUAMOSISSIMUS, 1797. bb. Dorsal rays X-I, 28 or 29. HETEROLEPIS, 1798. aa. Second anal spine very large and strong, 2 to3in head; dorsal rays X—I, 32 or 33. SURINAMENSIS, 1799. 1797. PLAGIOSCION SQUAMOSISSIMUS (Heckel). Head 33; depth 3}. D. X-I, 31 or 32; A. II, 7; scales (large ones or pores) 49 to 53. Second anal spine small, scarcely longer than eye, its length 4 to 54 in head; teeth of lower jaw with the inner series consider- ably enlarged; snout of moderate length, 5 in head; eye 54; maxillary 24 ip head; gill rakers rather long, c-+-12; pseudobranchiz usually small on one side and obsolete on the other; upper part of the preopercle crenulate on its bony margin; pectoral fin short, 12 in head; anal spine 4} to 54, its length subject to much variation; caudal convex; ventrals filamentous at tip. Lower pharyngeals narrow, armed with villiform teeth. Color sil- very, darker above, the axil with a large black spot. Rivers of Guiana and Brazil, generally common southward; no Guiana specimens seen by us, the specimens here described from Obidos and Coary. Sciena squamosissima, HECKEL, Annalen des Wiener Museum, 1, 438, 1840, Amazon; STEINDACHNER, Beitr. zur Kenntniss der Fisch-Fauna Sud-Americas, 3, 1879. ?Sciena rubella, SCHOMBURGK, Naturalists’ Library, Fishes of Guiana, U, 133, 1843, Rivers of Guiana. (D.IX,34; A.II,6; anal spines presumably small.) Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1419 Johnius crouvina, CASTELNAU, Anim. Nouv. ou Rares de |!) Amér. du Sud, Poissons, 11, pl. vy, fig. 1, about 1855,Rio Crixas, Rio Araguay. Johnius amazonicus, CASTELNAU, Anim. Nouy. ou Rares del’ Amér. du Sud, Poiss., 12, pl. 4, fig. 1, 1855, Amazon. Corvina monacantha, COPE,* Trans. Am. Phil, Soc. 1866, 402, near Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana. Sciena amazonica, GUNTHER, Cat., I, 284, 1860. Sciceena crouvina, GUNTHER, Cat., I, 287, 1860. Pachyurus squamosissimus, GUNTHER, Cat., I, 526, 1860. Diplolepis squamosissimus, STEINDACHNER, Scien. Brasil., 2, 1863. Plagioscion squamosissimus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 383. 1798. PLAGIOSCION HETEROLEPIS}{ (Bleeker). Head 34 to 34; depth 34 to 32. D. X-I, 28 or 29; A.II,7; scales 45. Caudal rhombic, its length } that of head; body rather elongated, the form much as in Ophioscion typicus but the head less depressed; profile depressed above eye; eye 4 in head, as long as the snout, which is rather long, bluntish at tip; preorbital % length of eye; mouth moderate, hori- zontal; maxillary extending to below middle of eye, 25 in head; teeth in many series, outer series of the upper jaw somewhat longer, those of the lower jaw all subequal; preopercle entire (in the figure); scales of the cheek cycloid, those of the opercle and body ctenoid; 46 series of scales above the lateral line, 40 below it; spinous dorsal little longer than high, the spines slender, scarcely flexible, the third longest, 2 in head; soft dor- sal densely scaly, the longest ray 2% in head; second anal spine small, little longer than the eye, 3} in head; pectorals 1? in head. Color green- ish or bluish-gray above, silvery below; fins yellowish. Surinam; not seen by us, perhaps not belonging to this genus. (ézepos, different; Aeris, scale. ) Johnius heterolepis, BLEEKER, Archives Neerlandaises, VII, 1873, 458, with plate, Surinam. Scicena heterolepis, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 405. 1799. PLAGIOSCLION SURINAMENSIS (Bleeker). Head 32; depth 32. D.X-—I, 31 to 53; A.II,6; enlarged scales in lateral line about 50, about 100 in a longitudinal series above it. Second anal spine large and strong, its length 2 to 3 in head; teeth of lower jaw with the inner series considerably enlarged; snout very short, blunt, 54 in head; head depressed above the eyes; mouth large, rather oblique, subinferior, the maxillary 24 in head, reaching past eye; back elevated; ventral out- line nearly straight; caudal peduncle slender; preorbital broad, a little narrower than eye, which is 54 in head; preopercle rounded, nearly or quite entire; teeth of outer series in upper jaw and inner series of lower ‘ The following is the substance of Professor Cope’s description of Corvina monacantha: First ventral ray produced as a filament which reaches past the vent; pseudobranchia none; eyes 5 in head; depth equal to length of head; preopercle sharp, serrate on its vertical margin; pharyngeal patches of teeth small, the teeth bristly; caudal fin sub- lanceolate; pectorals as long as ventrals without filaments; anal spines short, single in fypieal Spechneny; color, silvery, grayish above; no spots. D. X-I, 33; A.1,5. Scales 0-49-16. } Bleeker’s figure represents the species as having the preopercle entire as in Johnius and Plagioscion. In other regards it resembles Ophioscion. 1420 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, notably enlarged; dorsal spines slender, the highest 23 in head; pectoral 1? in head; ventrals 1}; scales all ctenoid. Color grayish above, silvery below; upper vertical fins punctate; lower fins yellowish; axil dark. (Steindachner.) Rivers of Guiana, Venezuela, and Colombia; not seen by us. i Pseudosciena surinamensis, BLEEKER, Arch. Neerl. Sci. Exact. et Nat., vil, 18738, 458, Surinam. Sciena magdalene, STEINDACHNER, Zur Fisch-Fauna des Magdalenen-Stromes, 6, 1878, Magdalena Bay, Venezuela. Sciena surinamensis, STEINDACHNER, Fisch-Fauna des Cauca, 4, 1880. 576. LARIMUS, Cuvier & Valenciennes. Larimus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 145, 1830 (breviceps). Amblyscion, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1865, 165 (argenteus). Monosira, Porky, Anales de Hist. Nat. Esp. 1881, 326 (stahli). Body rather elongate, compressed; skull firm, not greatly cavernous; interorbital space rather narrow; preorbital flattish, not turgid; upper jaw with the usual slits and pores little developed; no barbels; no canines; snout very short, mouth large, terminal, very oblique or even vertical, the lower jaw projecting; teeth minute, equal, uniserial or partly biserial above; preopercle entire or nearly so, without bony teeth. Scales mod- erate, subequal. Pseudobranchie well developed. Fins essentially as in Bairdiella, the second dorsal long, the anal short, its spines moderate or small; fins not thickened by accessory scales. Gill rakers long and slen- der. Vertebrie 10+ 14. Silvery fishes, all American. (ZLarimus, a name used by Oppien for some fish, ‘‘sans signification précise.”’) (AMBLYSCION auBAvs, blunt; oxiov, Sciwnda.) : a. Mouth large, the cleft quite vertical; profile slightly convex, nearly horizontal; no traces of dark stripes along the rows of scales; maxillary not extending beyond anterior margin of pupil, 2 in head; snout very short, 54 in head; ventrals a little shorter than pectorals which are as long as head. D. X—I, 27; A. II, 6. ARGENTEUS, 1800. LARIMUS: aa. Mouth more or less oblique, not quite vertical; upper parts with dark streaks along the rows of scales; profile slizhtly convex, a little oblique; maxillary extending to below front of orbit, 2 in head. b. Dorsal rays 27 to 30; mouth notably oblique. c. Upper parts silvery, without dark streaks or cross bands; pectorals long and narrow, ;'5 longer than head. D. X—I, 28 to 30. EFFULGENS, 1801. cc. Upper parts with distinct dark streaks along the rows of scales. d. Second anal spine 12 to 24 in head, not reaching tips of soft rays; dark streaks very distinct; mouth lessoblique; gill cavity largely black. ACCLIVIS, 1802. dd. Second anal spine 12 in head, reaching tips of soft rays; dark streaks on sides not very distinct; mouth very oblique; gill cavity pale. BREVICEPS, 1803. bb. Dorsal rays 24 to 27; mouth still less oblique, the snout more convex, the pro- file descending forward. : e. Color silvery, with more or less distinct streaks along the rows of scales; no dark cross bars. Jf. Second anal spine rather short, 3 in head; stripes very distinct; pec- torals 1j in head, reaching vent. D. X~I, 27; A. II, 6. PACIFICUS, 1804. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 1421 ee. Color grayish, silvery, with about 7 dark vertical cross bars; second anal spine short, 3, in head. Body heavy forward, much compressed, the snout very short and blunt, 53 in head; mouth large, less oblique than in other species; tip of premaxillary on level of mid- dle of pupil; maxillary 2 in head; gill rakers extremely elongate, as long as eye, 12 + 24; second anal spine short, 4 shorter than the first soft ray. D. X-I, 24 to 26; A. II, 5or6. FASCIATUS, 1805. Subgenus AMBLYSCION, Gill. 1800. LARIMUS ARGENTEUS (Gill). Head 3}; depth 3; snout very short, 54 in head; eye large, 43. D. X-I, 27; A. II, 6; scales 6-49-10. Body robust, strongly compressed. Mouth large, the cleft vertical; anterior profile slightly convex, nearly horizontal; maxillary not extending beyond anterior margin of pupil, its end wide and truncate, 2 in head; teeth all minute, in a single row in each jaw; preopercle with a striated and cilliated membranaceous border; gill rakers length of eye, 7+16; scales on head all cyeloid; lateral line running out to end of caudal rays; highest dorsal spine 24 in head; second anal spine strong, nearly as long as rays, its tip reaching to tip of last ray, its length 23; ventrals a little shorter than pectorals, which are about as long as head. Color plumbeous above, golden below and on sides; a black axil- lary spot; a large steel-blue opercular spot; no traces of dark stripes along the rows of scales. Of all known species of Sciwnida, this one has the mouth most nearly vertical. There is, however, in its structure nothing to warrant its separation as a distinet genus, Amblyscion. Mazatlan to Panama; locally common; a most singular fish. (argenteus, silvery.) Amblyscion argenteus, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1863, 165, West coast of Central America. (Coll. Capt. J.M. Dow.) Larimus argenteus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U. S. Fish. Comm. 1882, 110; JorDAN & EIGENMANY, J. ¢., 275. Subgenus LARIMUS. 1801. LARIMUS EFFULGENS, Gilbert. Head 3} to 375; depth 24 to3. D. XI, 28 to 30; A. II, 6; P. 16. Eye large, 34 to 44 in head; interorbital space 44 to 43; pores of lateral line 49 or 50. Mouth slightly more oblique than in L. acclivis, much less so than in L. argenteus. Premaxillaries anteriorly on a level with middle of pupil (lower part of pupil in Z. acelivis), Maxillary reaching about vertical from front of pupil, 24+ to 24 in head. Teeth minute, close-set, even, in a single series in each jaw, none of them enlarged. Preopercular margin membranous, with flexible ribs ending in minute spinules. Gill rakers very long, } diameter of orbit, 19 or 20 on horizontal limb of arch. Dorsal spines high and flexible, the first 2 not noticeably thickened; tenth spine shortest; soft dorsal very long, its base 24 to 2} in length; third dorsal spine longest, 2 to 24 in head; the longest dorsal ray equals length of snout and eye; second anal spine very strong, 2! in head; pec- toral very long and narrow, ;{; longer than head, injured in most speci- mens; ventrals reaching to or slightly beyond vent, 14 in head; caudal 1422 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. lanceolate, the middle rays much produced, as long as head; tubes of lateral line much branched; definite scaly sheaths along bases of dorsal and anal; basal portions of membranes of vertical fins with series of scales. Bright silvery, the back grayish; lining of cheeks black, a small black blotch on upper third of axil; ventrals, anal, and lower caudal rays bright orange yellow; fins otherwise dusky translucent. Length 8 inches. Pan- ama, rather common; numerous specimens were secured. (Gilbert.) Very close to L. acelivis, with which it agrees in almost all details of struc- ture. The color is, however, bright silvery without trace of stripes, as in L. argenteus. The pectoral fin is also much longer. (effulgens, shining. ) Larimus effulgens, GILBERT MS., Fishes of Panama 1898, Panama. (Coll. Gilbert.) 1802. LARIMUS ACCLIVIS, Jordan & Bristol. Head 34 to 34; depth 2 ,3; to 34. D. X-I, 27 to 29; A.II, 5 or 6; scales 6 or 7 (counting from third dorsal spine obliquely backward)—47 to 49-10 or 11. Body robust, compressed; the back somewhat elevated; profile con- vex. Head narrow, its width 2} to 22 in its length. Snout short, 54 to 5% in head. Eye large, 3;'5 to 34 in head. Mouth large, the cleft oblique, less steep than in L. breviceps; lower jaw curved, considerably pro- jecting; maxillary extending about to middle of pupil, 2§ to 2} in head. Teeth minute, firm, uniserial in each jaw. Interorbital region convex, 1i to liineye. Gill rakers 11 or 12+ 20 or 21, long and slender. Preoper- cle with a finely serrated membranaceous margin. Least depth of caudal peduncle 22 to 3 in head. Scales rather large, mostly ctenoid, cycloid on head. excepting those on posterior portion of the top, the rows above lat- eral line abruptly oblique, a character subject to great variation; the seales in the lateral line with about 5 or 6 tubules; anal and dorsal with a sheath at base, the scales of which are cycloid; the sheath beneath the spinous dorsal not very distinct; the fins excepting spinous dorsal, scaled tor ashort distance above base with cycloid scales, those on caudal extend- ing halfway to its tip. Origin of spinous dorsal 2} to 2? in origin of soft dorsal; third dorsal spine 13 to 1f in head; soft dorsal about 14 times as long as head; origin of anal 3} to 32 in head; second spine moderate, 1} to 24 in head, not reaching tips of soft rays; ventrals reaching slightly past vent, 1} in head; pectorals reaching slightly past tip of ventrals equaling, or 1Lin, head. Color grayish silvery, darker above, clear silvery white below; conspicuous dark brown or black stripes on back and sides following the rows of scales, formed of more or less coalescent dark spots; lower part of head bright silvery; a large steel-blue axillary spot; region about pseudobranchi largely black; region in lower part of mouth bright orange, and traces of orange in upper part; lower mandible blackish; tongue dusky at tip; a somewhat indistinct narrow streak of plain dark brown extending from a point in the median line, ? the distance from the first dorsal spine to tip of premaxillary, obliquely backward and downward to or nearly to the lateral line, this streak more clearly seen in dry speci- mens; fins dusky ; spinous dorsal dark brown; ventrals yellowish, dusky at tip; both ventrals and pectorals darker on their inner than on their outer surfaces. This species differs from L. breviceps chiefly in the shorter Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1423 anal spine, the much more distinct dark lines, the less nearly vertical mouth, the back more steeply arched, the darker color of the gill cavity. In some cases the direction of the rows of scales on the back is more nearly vertical, but in this there are great variations. West coast of Mex- ico and Central America, from Sonora to Panama; not rare on sandy shores. Length 4% to 6% inches. Described from numerous specimens from San Juan Lagoon, Sonora, and from Panama. (acclivis, steeply ascending, referring to the direction of the rows of scales above lateral line. ) Larimus acclivis, JORDAN & BRISTOL, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1897, San Juan Lagoon, Sonora. (Coll. Albatross. Type, No. 45, L. 5S. Jr. Univ. Mus.) 1803. LARIMUS BREVICEPS, Cuvier & Valenciennes. (CABEZON.) Head 32; depth 3; eye 4 in head. D. X-I, 28; A. I, 6; scales 7 (count- ing from third dorsal spine obliquely backward) 48-9. Body robust; the profile less convex than in L. acelivis. Width of head 2 in its length; snout short, 5 in head. Cleft of mouth approaching a perpendicular much more nearly than in L. acclivis; the lower jaw less convex; maxillary 2 in head. Teeth minute, firm, uniserial in each jaw. Interorbital region convex, 4 in head and lin eye. Gill rakers about 10+ 20, long and slender, the longest 1} in head; least depth of caudal pedunele 3 in head. Scales as in L. acclivis, excepting that in our specimens the rows above the lateral line are rather more horizontal and therefore fewer in number than in some specimens of L. acclivis. Origin of spinous dorsal 2 in origin of soft dorsal and 1} in head; third dorsal spine 13 in head; second anal spine 13 in head, reaching to tip of longest soft ray; ventrals 14 in head; pectoral as long as head. Color silvery, brown above, clear white silvery below; the rows of scales above with dark streaks, these much less distinct than in ZL. acclivis; a brownish axillary spot; region about pseudobranchie but little dusky; lower part of mouth, and sides of mouth on upper jaw orange; tip of tongue and end of lower mandible dusky; fins dusky; spinous dorsal darker; ventrals yellowish ; upper part of pectoral dusky. Length 10 inches. West Indies, south to Brazil. Here described from a specimen collected by the Albatross from St. Lucia and from a specimen in the U. S. National Museum from Kings- ton, Jamaica. (brevis, short; -ceps, head.) Larimus breviceps, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Vv, 146, pl. 140, 1830, Brazil; San Domingo; GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 268, 1860; GUNTHER, Fishes Central America, 387 and 425, 1869; BEAN & DressEL, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1884, 158; JORDAN & EIGEN- MANN, l. c., 375, 1889, in part, Atlantic specimens. ? Monosira stahli,* Porky, Fauna Puerto Riquena, 326, pl. 6, 1881, Puerto Rico. Larimus stahli, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 376, 1889. *Monosira stahli, Porky, seems identical with L. breviceps. The following is the sub- stance of Poey’s description : 5 Head 31; depth 3; ey. 34; snout 5. D. X-I, 25; A. II, 5. Body deep, snout short, the profile descending forward; mouth large, maxillary 2 in head, lower mandible produced and curved, a pore on each side of the symphysis; gill rakers long and slender; teeth uniserial, numerous and very small, those of the lower jaw slightly larger; pectorals lanceolate, reaching beyond Vent, slightly longer than head; second anal spine long, nearly 2in head. Color white, with faint streaks, but without vertical dark bars. Porto Rico. (Named for Dr. Agustin Stahl, of Puerto Rico, of whose collection of fishes this species formed a part.) 1424 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 1804. LARIMUS PACIFICUS, Jordan & Bollman. Head 3 (32); depth same. D. X-I, 27; A. II, 6; scales 6-50-11. Body compressed, formed as in other species; back elevated, regularly rounded from snout to last dorsal ray; ventral outline most arched anteriorly, base of anal oblique. Distance from ventrals to anal more than depth of body, so that the ventrals do not reach vent. Profile of head depressed very slightly before dorsal and above eyes. Snout short, 4% in head. Eye moderate, equal to width of interorbital, 4in head. Mouth rather large; maxillary reaching posterior border of eye, 2+ in head. Premaxillary opposite middle of pupil. Width of preorbital 4 eye. Pores of snout and chin as in other species of Larimus. Preopercle with a narrow, cren- ulate, membranous border; scapular scale with well-developed mem- branous teeth; opercle with 3 graduated, stiff, membranous spines above and another below. Gill rakers, long and slender, longest equal to length of eye, about 10+ 20. Scales on head and anterior part of breast cycloid; bases of membranes of fins scaly. First dorsal spine inserted over base of pectorals; fourth spine longest, 2} in head. Anterior and posterior soft rays of dorsal subequal, 3in head. Second anal spine short, not much over + as long as first rays, its tip not nearly reaching end of last ray, 8 in head; second anal ray 24 in head; distance between origin of ventrals and anal + more than depth of body; pectorals 14 in head, reaching anus; ventrals not reaching vent by almost + eye, 1% in head. Coloration essentially similar to that of L. acclivis; silvery, with conflu- ent dusky spots forming dark streaks along the rows of scales; numerous black dots from snout to caudal below lateral line; opercle appearing dusky externally, because the skin lining the region around pseudo- branchive is inky black; dorsal, caudal, anal, and pectorals somewhat dusky; soft dorsal pale at base, then with a dusky and pale longitu- dinal streak, the distal half dusky; general coloration less yellow than in breviceps and the streaks along scales more prominent. Here described from the type, a specimen 54 inches long. Off coast of Colombia. Larimus pacijicus, JORDAN & BOLLMAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1889, 161, Pacific Ocean, off coast of Colombia, at Albatross station 2802, 8° 38’ N., 79° 31/ 30’’ W., between Galapagos Island and Panama. (Type, No. 41168. Coll. Albatross.) 1805. LARIMUS FASCIATUS, Holbrook. Head 33; depth 3; eye4in head. D. X-I, 24 to 26; A. II, 5 or 6; scales 5-49-9 to 11. Body heavy forward, much compressed, the back somewhat elevated; profile convex; snout very short and blunt, 54 in head; eye about equal to flattish interorbital area; mouth large, less oblique than in other species; tip of premaxillary on level of middle of pupil; maxil- lary 2 in head, reaching to below posterior third of eye; lower mandible with a slight knob at its symphysis, a small pore on each side of it; teeth minute, firm, in a single series in each jaw; pharyngeal teeth all long and slender; the pharyngeal bones small and narrow, subtriangular; gill rakers extremely elongate, as long as eye, 12-+-24; preopercle with minute cia; third and fourth dorsal spines about 2} in head; preopercle with Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1425 minute cilia; third and fourth dorsal spines about 2} in head; second anal spine short, + shorter than the first anal ray, its tip scarcely reaching end of last ray when spine is depressed, 3 in head; scales large, ctenoid; anal and soft dorsal with a scaly sheath at base. Color in life, grayish olive above, with some silvery; below, clear silver white; back with 7 to 9 rather conspicuous darker vertical bars extending to below middle of sides; fins dusky olive; anal fin and lower rays of caudal yellow; ventrals orange yellow, dusky towards tip; lower side of head very bright silvery; inside of mouth and lining of gill cavity, cheeks and opercles with some light yellow. South Atlantic coast of the United States, from Chesapeake Bay to Galveston, Texas; occasionally straying north to Woods Hole, not common, found in rather deep water. (fasciatus, banded.) Larimus fasciatus, HOLBROOK, Ichth. South Carolina, 153, pl. 22, fig. 1, 1860, Charleston; GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 269, 1860; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 578, 1883; JORDAN & EIGEN- MANN, lJ. c., 376, 1889. 577. ODONTOSCION, Gill. Odontoscion, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1862, 18 (dente). This genus differs from Larimus mainly in the presence of canines and may be described as a Larimus armed with canineteeth. It also approaches closely to Bairdiella, from which it differs in lacking the plectroid spine on the preopercle, and in the dentition, the group Llattarchus lying between the two, as does also the closely related group Corrula, (ddo0Us, tooth; oxtov, » modern Greek name, corresponding to Sciena.) a. Dorsal rays XI-I, 23; canines rather strong; color soiled silvery. DENTEX, 1806. aa. Dorsal rays XI-I, 26; canines smaller; color dark gray with darker streaks. XANTHOPS, 1807. 1806. ODONTOSCION DENTEX (Cuvier & Valenciennes). (CORVINA.) Head 3 to 34; depth 34; eye 3? to 4 in head; snout 4. D. XI or XII-I, 23; A. II, 8; scales 7-49 to 52-10. Teeth in each jaw in a single series, the 2 front teeth in lower jaw large canines, some of the teeth on the side of the lower jaw also enlarged, canine-like; teeth of the upper jaw largest forward, smaller than those in the lower jaw; body oblong, com- pressed, the profile straight and rather steep; snout short, blunt; eye large; preopercle rounded without any distinct spines, with crenulated mem- branaceous margin; highest dorsal spine 2 in head; distance from first anal spine to middle of base of caudal 3} in length; distance from vent to first anal spine 14 in base of anal; second anal spine much shorter than rays, its tip when depressed not reaching to tip of last ray, its length 3 in head; mouth large, oblique, maxillary reaching beyond middle of orbit, 2 in head; preorbital very narrow, about 4 in eye; gill rakers long and stifi, 5+14; lower pharyngeals small, with conical teeth; scales thin, ctenoid; soft dorsal and anal scaly; scales below lateral line in nearly horizontal series; dorsal spines long and slender, separated from soft dorsal; the spine of soft dorsal short and stout; caudal subtruncate, upper lobe longer; anal 1426 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, short and high, second anal spine 2} in head; ventrals halfway to anal, pectorals 13 in head. Color dusky silvery, everywhere soiled with dark points, which form faint streaks along the series of scales; snout and ante- rior part of the chin black; upper part of base of pectoral and axil black. Length1foot. West Indies; generally common; a food-fish of some importance. (denter, toothed. ) Corvina dentex, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 139, pl. 109, 1830, San Domingo. Larimus dentex, GUNTHER, Cat., If, 269, 1860. Odontoseion dentex, POBY, Synopsis, 325, 1868; JORDAN & EIGENMANN, 1, c., 377, 1889. 1807. ODONTOSCION XANTHOPS, Gilbert. Head 3; depth 337; eye 32in head; snout 4}. D. XII, 27; A. II, 8; P.17; pores in lateral line 50. Head and body elongate, compressed, narrow. Dorsal and ventral outlines nearly equally curved; profile slightly de- pressed over front of orbits, the snout bluntish, not protruding; jaws equal, the lower wholly included, the symphysis prominent, slightly passing the premaxillaries; mouth very oblique, the maxillary reaching slightly behind middle of eye, 24 in head; tip of maxillary broad; mental and rostral pores of moderate size, not conspicuous; a series of slender canines in lower jaw, preceded by an irregular outer villiform row, most evident toward symphysis; the series of canines turns inward and backward on the sym- physeal protuberance, the innermost pair enlarged, directed backward; upper jaw with a series of conical teeth, similar to those on sides of man- dible, separated by a considerable interspace from an inner series of very small, close-set teeth, directed backward. Eye very large, subcircular; a definite supraorbital ridge; interorbital width 42; suborbitals narrow ; pre- opercular margin without definite spines, with minute crenulations, which end in spinous points. Gill rakers long and slender, 16 on horizontal limb of arch, the longest + diameter of orbit. Spinous dorsal very high, of weak, flexible spines, none of which is thickened; third spine highest, as long as snout and eye; eleventh spine shortest; second anal spine strong, equaling length of snout and 4 of eye; pectorals short, not reaching tips of ventrals, 1,4, in head; ventrals not reaching vent, extending half- way from their base to front of anal; caudal apparently short and rounded, somewhat mutilated in the type, as are the soft dorsal and anal. Seales large, weakly ctenoid except on head, where they are cycloid; maxillary, tip of mandible, and extreme tip of snout naked; head other- wise completely invested; a definite sheath of scales at base of soft dorsal ; soft portions of all the vertical fins with membranes scaled. Dark steel gray, with olive tinge above, silvery below, the lower parts coarsely punc- tate with brown; blackish streaks follow the row of scales, those below the lateral line broad, horizontal, conspicuous, those above lateral line narrower, less intense, the anterior ones directed obliquely upward, those under soft dorsal nearly horizontal; fins dusky, the anal, lower caudal lobe, and the terminal portion of ventrals black; iris bright yellow. Roof of mouthand sides of mandible within orange yellow, the membrane within mandibular teeth black; tongue faintly yellow; a dusky yellow bar above Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 1427 and 1 below pseudobranchiz, the gill cavity otherwise silvery. Panama; a single specimen 7} inches long. (Gilbert.) (Eav§0s, yellow; wy, eye.) Odontoscion xanthops, GILBERT, MS., Fishes of Panama, 1898, Panama. (Coll. Gilbert.) 578. CORVULA, Jordan & Eigenmann. Corvula, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, Review of the Sciwnidsw of Europe and America, in Report U.S. Fish Comm. 1886 (1889), 377 (batabana). This genus is closely allied to Bairdiella in nearly all respects, but with the preopercle entire and unarmed as in Larimus. The species differ considerably among themselves, and they form with Larimus and Odontos- cion an almost continuous series. American. (Diminutive of Corrus, crow, as is also the name Corvina, applied by the Latin races to fishes of this group, perhaps in allusion to their croaking noise produced by the complicated air bladder. ) a. Body rather short and deep, depth 2} to 34 in length; distance from insertion of ventrals to first anal spine about equal to depth of body; color silvery, usually with dusky streaks along the rows of scales. b. Dorsal rays XI-I, 25; posterior dorsal rays much shorter than the anterior ones: eye very large, 34 in head; dorsal outline strongly convex, somewhat ele- vated anteriorly; color dark brown, paler below; upper 3 of body with very distinct dark streaks along the rows of scales; pectoral and especially anal with dark points; base of spinous dorsal light yellow; numerous dark dots on belly, lower part of sides, and under side of head. MACROPS, 1808. bb. Dorsal rays X—I, 28; posterior rays of soft dorsal higher than the anterior ones; dorsal outline strongly and regularly convex and elevated. Color. silvery white, darker above; sides and back with rather distinct dark lines along the scales; spinous dorsal, tips of ventrals and anal dusky; upper part of head brownish; lower part of head, cheek, and breast with numer- ous rusty dots, base of soft dorsal and anal rusty. SIALIS, 1809. bbb. Dorsal rays X to XTI-I, 23 to 25; jaws equal; outer teeth above enlarged, lower teeth nearly uniserial; preopercle with flexible serrz; second anal spine, 32 in head; caudal fin subtruncate. e. Maxillary reaching middle of pupil, 24 in head; pectorals rather long. SUBAQUALIS, 1810. ec. Maxillary reaching beyond middle of pupil, 24 in head; pectorals very short; D. XLII, 23; A. TI, 8; color silvery, with very distinct dark longitudinal stripes. SANCT4-LUCIAs, 1811. aa. Body rather elongate and compressed, the depth 34 in length; distance from inser- tion of ventrals to first anal spine 4 greater than depth of body; coloration dusky, with conspicuous dark streaks along the rows of scales. BATABANA, 1812. 1808. CORVULA MACROPS (Steindachner). (VACUOCUA.) Head 33; depth 3. D. XI-I, 25; A. II, 9; scales 8-56-11; eye 34 in head; snout 4%; maxillary 2}; longest dorsal spine 1%; longest dorsal ray 24; second anal spine 24; ventrals 1}; pectoral 12; caudal fin 14. Body oblong, moderately compressed, not much elevated; dorsal outline uniform from tip of snout to caudal peduncle; ventral outline rounded from chin to breast, then straight to anal spine, then slanting obliquely upward to 1428 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. caudal peduncle. Snout blunt, shorter than large eye; upper jaw slightly projecting, teeth small and sharp, in 1 or 2 irregular series in lower jaw, in several series in upper jaw, the outer row slightly enlarged; maxillary extending to posterior edge of pupil; chin with 4 large pores; edge of preopercle covered with skin, which is serrated on the edge. Gill rakers slender, 9-+-13; scales ctenoid on the body, cycloid on the head. Spinous dorsal a little higher than soft dorsal; first dorsal spine very short, second about 5 times longer, third twice as long as second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth subequal, the others rapidly shorter; first anal spine very small, the second many times longer and stouter, but shorter than soft rays; ventrals inserted behind pectorals and reaching beyond them; caudal truncate. Ground color silvery, but so closely set with small dark brown points as to almost obscure the silver; sides with about 4 faint dark cross bands and with conspicuous black stripes following the rows of scales, about 11 horizontal stripes below lateral line, those above slanting obliquely upward anteriorly, but becoming horizontal posteriorly; tips of ventrals and anal black, other fins dusky. Here described from a fine specimen from the Astillero at Mazatlan, 8 inches in length. Pacific Coast of tropical America; recorded only from Mazatlan and Panama; appar- ently rare; our specimens from Mazatlan and Panama much darker than Steindachner’s type, which was deeper, the depth 24 in length. (axpos, large; ww, eye.) Corvina macrops, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitr., 11, 24, fig. 2, 1875, Panama. Scicena macrops, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U. S. Fish. Comm. 1881, 316. Corvula macrops, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 379, 1889; JORDAN, Fishes of Sinaloa, in Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 468. 1809. CORVULA SIALIS, Jordan & Eigenmann. Head 31; depth 23; eye 5 im head. D. X-I, 28; A. II, 8. Body com- pressed; the back elevated, regularly rounded from snout to posterior margin of soft dorsal; ventral outline almost straight from chin to first anal spine; base of anal oblique; caudal peduncle short and thick. Pro- file slightly convex posteriorly, somewhat depressed over the eyes; snout rather acute, slightly longer than eye; eye 14 in interorbital area; preor- bital } as wide as eve; mouth moderate; maxillary extending past pupil, its length 2+ in head; premaxillary anteriorly on level with the lower border of the orbit; lower jaw included; maxillary broad, not entirely concealed by the preorbital when the mouth is shut. Teeth of the lower jaw blunt, conical, in 2 series, those of the inner series much larger than those of the outer; upper jaw with a narrow band of villiform teeth and an outer series of larger teeth, which are remote from each other and decrease in size toward the angle of the mouth. Chin with 5 small pores; snout with 6 pores, arranged in a ~~ shaped figure. Preopercle with a narrow, crenulate, membranous border; opercle with 2 scarcely distin- guishable spines; scapular seale entire. Gill rakers moderately devel- oped, about $ as long as the eye,5+12; pseudobranchiew large. Scales about the head in front of dorsal and on anterior part of breast cycloid, marked with concentric strive; those on top of the head embedded, indis- Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1429 tinct; scales of the body all ctenoid; membranes of caudal, anal, and soft dorsal densely covered with minute scales nearly to their tips. First dorsal spine short, inserted over the base of the pectoral; fourth dorsal spine highest, reaching to soft dorsal, 1; in head; anterior dorsal rays shorter than the middle and posterior ones, the eleventh longer than the fourth by an eye’s diameter, little more than 4 the length of the head; soft dorsal very broadly rounded posteriorly; caudal short, broad, rounded behind; anal inserted posteriorly, the tips of the anal extending nearly as far as the tips of the dorsal; second anal spine moderate, scarcely more that } length of the rays, little less than 3 in head; ventrals lanceo- late, slightly longer than the rounded pectorals, 14 in head. Color light brownish above, silvery on sides and below, the centers of the scales with many dark dots, these forming horizontal lines along the series of scales below the lateral line, and oblique, irregular, often interrupted, lines above the lateral line; all the fins with dark dots; spinous dorsal dusky ; soft dorsal brownish for 2 of its height; the other ? pale; anal and tips of ventrals dusky; pectoral pale; head with many minute rusty dots, these aggregated, and forming brownish spots on the maxillary and lower part of the head. Length 64 inches.” Florida Keys; known from 1 speci- men. (67a@A 0s, plump.) Corvula sialis, JORDAN & KIGENMANN, Report U. S. Fish Comm. for 1886 (1889), 379, Key West. (Type, No. 26575. Coll. Silas Stearns.) 1810. CORVULA SUBEQUALIS (Poey). Head 34; depth about 34; eye 44 in head; snout 44. D. XII-I, 22 to 24; A. II, 9; scales about 46. Form of Corvula sialis, but the body more elon- gate; jaws equal; outer teeth above enlarged, lower teeth nearly unise- rial; eye large; snout bluntish; maxillary 2} in head, extending to middle of pupil; preopercle with flexible serre; second anal spine 3% in head; caudal fin subtruncate. Color silvery, with faint streaks along the rows of scales above. West Indies; scarce. We refer 2 specimens from St. Thomas to this species, although they differ in some respects from Poey’s description of Corvina subequalis. The more elongate body and the smaller number of dorsal rays distinguish subaqualis readily from sialis. (subequalis, nearly equal.) Corvina subequalis, Porky, Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist. New York 1875, 58 Cuba.* Corvula subeequalis, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 380, 1889. 1811, CORVULA SANCTE-LUCLE, Jordan. Head 34; depth 3}; eye 3? in head; snout4}. D. XI-I, 23; A. II, 8; scales 6-46-10. Body oblong, moderately compressed, the back moderately ele- vated. Head rather short and blunt, the anterior profile uniform and *The following is the substance of Poey’s account of his Corvina subcequalis: Body rather elongate; eye 34 in head; snout short, rounded; mouth moderate; maxillary extending to below anterior margin of pupil, the jaws subequal; teeth in fine bands, the outer series longer, and larger above than below; symphisis with 4 pores; preopercle finely dentate; dorsal fins separated; second dorsal spine stout; caudal with a salient angle; base of anal scaly; anal spine rather strong, its insertion rather posterior; color silvery; depth 33 (with caudal); head 38. D. X-I,25; A.II,7. 1430 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. slightly arched. Snout short, shorter than eye; eye large, a little greater than interorbital space; mouth considerably oblique, the jaws equal, the premaxillary in front on the level of lower part of pupil, the maxillary extending to beyond line of middle of pupil, 24 in head; teeth of upper jaw in a narrow band, the outer moderately enlarged; teeth of lower jaw moderate, not quite equal, almost in one series; preopercle with its mem- branous edge finely dentate; gill rakers long and slender, about x + 15. Scales large and firm, those above lateral line anteriorly in series parallel with it; at a point below last dorsal rays each series is suddenly bent upward, and then again becomes horizontal; rows of scales below lateral line horizontal and nearly straight. Dorsalspines slender; soft dorsal and anal scaly at base; caudal (broken) apparently subtruncate; pectoral very short, reaching about to eighth dorsal spine; anal small, inserted back- ward, its second spine moderate. Distance from insertion of ventral to first anal spine 1} times depth of body. Coloration silvery, with about 14 horizontal dark stripes, these stripes continuous, and those above bend upward underneath last dorsal spines; fins pale yellowish, all more or less soiled with dark points; a faint dark axillary spot; lining of gill cavity pale. West Indies; 1 specimen known, 5? inches long, from Port Castries, Island of St. Lucia. (Sancta-lucia, St. Lucia. ) Corvula sancte-lucice, JORDAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1889, 649, Port Castries, St. Lucia. (Type, No. 41732. Coll. Albatross.) 1812. CORVULA BATABANA (Poey). Head 32; depth 3}; eye 44; snout 3}. D. XI-I, 26; A. II, 8; scales 6-50-7. Body oblong, compressed, the depth nearly uniform from ventrals to vent; belly very long, the distance from ventrals to anal } greater than depth of body; profile nearly straight and horizontal; mouth rather wide; max- illary 24 in head, reaching middle of eye; upper jaw with several series of minute teeth and an outer somewhat enlarged series; lower jaw with a single series of rather strong teeth, a pair of minute canine-like teeth at the symphysis; snout short, without pores; chin with 5 large pores; pre- opercle with a crenulate, dermal border; gill rakers slightly longer than pupil, 5+ 13; lower pharyngeals with many small teeth, some of the inner ones much elongate; eye slightly shorter than snout, about equal to the interorbital area; scales large, their exposed edges much striated, the striw ending in cilia; scales below lateral line in undulate, subhorizontal series; lateral line slightly curved, becoming straight above anal; soft portions of vertical fins densely covered with scales; soft dorsal and anal with ascaly sheath at their bases; dorsal, caudal and anal rounded behind ; ventrals slightly longer than pectorals, 14 in head. Color coppery-grayish, with many minute brown points; scales of back and sides each with a dark spot, these forming very distinct dusky stripes along the series of scales; stripes below the lateral line mostly of continuous spots, those above broken and irregular; upper part of head and fins uniform brown- ish, with many minute points. Cuba and Porto Rico; not rare, but not seen elsewhere; our specimen from Havana. Its strongly marked colora- tion is a very unusual trait in this family. (Batabano, the type locality.) Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1431 Johnius batabanus, Pony, Memorias, u, 184, 1860, Batabano, South coast of Cuba; Pory, Fauna Puerto-Riquena, 327, 1881. Larimus batabanus, JORDAN, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1886, 43. Corvula batabana, JORVAN & EIGENMANN, l. ¢., 380, 1889. 579. ELATTARCHUS, Jordan & Evermann. Klattarchus, JORDAN & EVERMANN, Check-List, 397, 1896 (archidiwm). This genus is very close to Bairdiella from which it differs in the presence of slender canines, much as in Odontoscion. From the latter genus it differs mainly in the serrate preopercle, which has a downward directed Spine at the angle. Second anal spine very small. One species known. (éAarr@y, reduced; cpyos, anus, from the small anal fin.) 1813. ELATTARCHUS ARCHIDIUM (Jordan & Gilbert). Head 3; depth 33. D. XI, 24; A.II,8; scales 9-50-7, 52 pores. Diameter of eye about equal to length of snout, or to interorbital width, and 44 times in length of head. Lengthof maxillary 2} in head. Gillzakers low and slender, 6+ 13 in number. Pseudobranchi:e well developed; poste- rior nostril a narrow oblong vertical slit. Head and body rather elon- gate, considerably compressed, back not elevated, the snout somewhat gibbous, the profile depressed above the eyes. Mouth very large, terminal, oblique, the maxillary reaching vertical from posterior margin of pupil; jaws subequal, premaxillaries in front on the level of lower edge of pupil; symphysis of lower jaw with an oblong knob, which projects inward and upward, on this are 2 series of teeth, 3 in each series, the inner pair being canines of moderate size, larger than any of the other teeth, but much smaller and slenderer than the canines in Cynoscion. Both jaws without villiform teeth, upper jaw with 2 series of slender-pointed teeth, the outer series enlarged; lower jaw laterally with a single series of teeth similar to those of the outer series of upper jaw, but larger; those in the middle of the jaw largest. Posterior margin of preopercle inclined downward and backward, both margins convex and with the angle broadly rounded. Both margins with weak, distinct serrations; posterior border with 2 or 3 stronger teeth next the angle directed backward, the angle with 1 robust flattish spine directed more or less vertically downward. Spinous dorsal with very weak, flexible spines, the third the longest and about $ length of head; soft dorsal moderate, the longest ray shorter than the dorsal spines but more than 4 length of head; caudal fin sub- truncate or slightly emarginate; anal fin very small, posteriorly inserted, its base but little oblique; length of base about equal to length of snout; second anal spine moderate, shorter than the first soft Tay, much stronger than the dorsal spines, and inflexible, its length about equal to snout and } of eye, 3 in head; distance from front of anal to middle of base of caudal slightly more than } the length of the body; distance from vent to front of anal about equal to length of base of anal; pectoral short, not reaching tips of ventrals, its length 1? in head; ventrals reaching half- way to front of anal, not nearly to vent; membranes of soft parts of ver- tical fins with series of scales extending more than halfway to the tips. 1432 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. Lateral line scarcely arched, becoming straight opposite front of soft dor- sal. Color lustrous bluish gray above, silvery below; middle of sides with indistinct lengthwise streaks formed by clusters of dark dots in the centers of the scales; snout and tips of lower jaw blackish; a dark blotch on opercle above; sides of head bright silvery; fins light straw-color; upper half of pectorals dusky; spinous dorsal finely speckled with black ; upper half of axil brown; peritoneum pale; lining of opercle black above. Iris bright yellow, dusky above. Length 7 inches, Panama; not uncom- mon. The species has the very small anal of Odontoscion and the spur-like preopercular spine of Bairdiella, while in its dentition it is intermediate. (apxisiov, diminutive of @pyos, anus or anal.) - Odontoscion archidium, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U. 8. Fish Comm. 1881, 317, Panama (Coll. GC. H. Gilbert); JorDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U.S. Fish Comm, 1882, 111. Bairdiella archidium, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. ¢., 386, 1889. 580. BAIRDIELLA, Gill. (MADEMOISELLES. ) Bairdiella, Giu, Cat. Fish. East Coast North America, 33, 1861 (argyroleuca—chrysura) Nector, JORDAN & EVERMANN, new subgenus (chrysoleuca). This genus is characterized by the oblique mouth, little cavernous skull, few rows of small teeth, slender gill rakers, and the preopercle armed with a plectroid spine. It is certainly a very natural group, and worthy of recognition as a distinct genus, although its relationships with Ophioscion and especially with Stellifer are very close. ‘The numerous species are all American, all small in size and silvery in coloration, and some of them are remarkable for the great size of the second anal spine. In others this spine is quite small. These variations among species unquestionably closely allied show how slight is the systematic vaiue to be attached to the size of this spine. (Named for Prof. Spencer Fullerton Baird, for many years United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, and one of the most broad-minded and successful workers in systematic zoology.) BAIRDIELLA : a. Teeth of the lower jaw unequal, chiefly biserial; the inner teeth more or less enlarged ; preorbital narrow. b. Second anal spine moderate, 24 in head, not so long as soft rays, not reaching tip of last ray when depressed. Color silvery, punctate; fins yellow; depth 3 inlength. D. X-I, 22; A.II, 10. CHRYSURA, 1814. bb. Second anal spine very long, 3 length of head, reaching beyond tip of last ray; base of anal oblique, forming an angle with ventral outline. c. Mouth terminal, very oblique; second anal spine excessively large, 17 in head, longer than any soft ray. Color silvery; depth 3}. D. X-I, 23. ENSIFERA, 1815. cc. Mouth not quite terminal; preorbital narrow, but broader than inensifera. d. Dorsal rays X-I, 28; dorsal spines very slender, the highest 14 in head; pectorals 14in head; second anal spine very long, silvery, punctate, adark axillary spot; depth 34 in Jength. IcrIsTrA, 1816. dd. Dorsal rays X~-I, 23; dorsal spines stiff, lower, the highest 2 in head; second anal spine 12; pectorals 13. Color soiled silvery ; depth 34. RONCHUS, 1817. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1433 NeEctTorR (nector, one that connects; Biairdella with Ophioscion) : aa. Teeth of lower jaw in a narrow villiform band as in Ophioscion; mouth subinferior, little oblique, preorbital broader, gill rakers shorter; pores and slits on snout more conspicuous. e. Snout sharp; head slender, narrow above; second anal. spine very large, 13 in head; pectoral short, 1}in head. Color soiled silvery. D. X—I, 21; head 3 in length. ARMATA, 1818. ee. Snout bluntish, the head stout and broad above; second anal spine shortish, 2in head. Color dusky; depth about 3 in length. f. Dorsal rays X~—I, 18; scales large, 44 in lateral line; pectoral 1} in head. Color dark brownish, dotted. ALUTA, 1819. tf. Dorsal rays X-I, 21 or 22; scales moderate, 50 to 55; pectoral 14 in head; caudal 13; preorbital broad. Color soiled brassy, with dark streaks and mottlings. CHRYSOLEUCA, 1820. Subgenus BAIRDIELLA. 1814. BAIRDIELLA CHRYSURA (Lacépéde). (MADEMOISELLE; YELLOW-TAIL.) Head 3 to 34; depth 3 to 3}; eye 44 in head; snout 4}. D. XI-I, 22; A. II, 10; scales 8-52-12. Body oblong, compressed, the back a little elevated, the profile depressed over the eyes; snout prominent, bluntish, as long as eye; lower jaw with a single series of close-set teeth, in front of which are a few smaller teeth not forming a definite series; upper jaw with an outer series of small curved canines, behind which is a moderate band of villi- form teeth, becoming wider laterally. Preopercle serrate, the teeth near the angle larger, the lowest and largest directed downward; gill rakers slender, rather long, 8+16; scales on head cycloid; base of anal little oblique; ventral outline rather regularly rounded; dorsal spines slender, the highest 2} in head; caudal long, double truncate; pectorals about as long as the ventrals, 1? in head; soft dorsal and anal scaled at least 4 their height. Second anal spine moderate, 24 in head, not as long as the soft rays, not reaching to tip of last ray when depressed; mouth large, somewhat oblique, the premaxillary on the level of lower part of the eye; maxillary reaching middle of eye, 2> in head. Color greenish above, silvery below; back and sides more or less densely punctate with dark dots (especially in northern specimens), these forming narrow, somewhat irregular streaks along the sides; fins plain, mostly yellow in life. South Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, north to New York; very abundant on our sandy shores from Long Island to Texas. It reaches but a small size, hence, although an excellent pan fish, it has no great eco- nomic value. Unlike most of the other species of the genus, its second anal spine is little enlarged. (ypu6os, gold; ovpda, tail.) Perea punctata, LINN&ZUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. x11, 482, 1766, in part, South Carolina (not Perca punctatus of Ed. xX, which is Bodianus fuluus punctatus). Diptercdon chrysurus, LACEPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 111, 64, 1802, South Carolina; after LINN2US. Bodianus argyroleucus et exigwus, MircHiLt, Trans. Lit. & Phil. Soc. New York 1815, 417 and 419, pl. 6, fig.3, New York. Bodianus pallidus, Mivcui.1, Trans. Lit. & Phil. Soc., 1, 1815, 420, New York. 3030 13 1434 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. Homoprion xanthurus, HOLBROOK, Ich. §S. Car., Ed. 1, 170, pl. 24, 1856 (not Letostomus xan- thurus, LACEPEDE). Homoprion subtruncatus, GILL, Cat. Fish. E. Coast U.S., 338, 1861, South Carolina; after HOLBROOK. Corvina argyroleuca, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 105, 1830; GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 299, 1860. Bairdiella punctata, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1878, 377. Bairdiella argyroleuca, GOODE, Proc. U.5. Nat. Mus. 1879, 113. Sciceena punctata, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1882, 280; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 570, 1883. Sciena chrysura, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1882, 606; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 933, 1883. Bairdiella chrysura, Goons, Hist. Aquat. Anim., 375, pl. 126, 1884; JORDAN & EIGENMANN, 1. c., 386, 1889. 1815. BAIRDIELLA ENSIFERA (Jordan & Gilbert). Head 34 to 34; depth 34 to 34; eye 33in head; snout 5. D. X-I 22; A. II, 8; seales 8-49-9. Body compressed, moderately elongate, the back little elevated; snout short, bluntish, not protruding, the profile nearly straight and not very steep to base of first dorsal, along the base of which it is nearly horizontal, thence again declining along base of soft dorsal; ventral outline nearly straight to front of anal, then very sharply angu- lated, the base of the anal very oblique; caudal peduncle long and slender. Profile depressed above head; head moderate, compressed with vertical cheeks; preorbital very narrow, narrower than pupil; snout not projecting so far as premaxillaries; premaxillaries in front on the level of lower part of pupil; maxillary extending to opposite middle of pupil; mouth very oblique; the jaws nearly even in front, the lower very slightly included, the gap 24in head. Teeth slender, small, those in upper jaw in 2 or 3 series, the outer series enlarged; most of the teeth depressible; lower teeth unequal, chiefly biserial, the inner enlarged; symphysis of lower jaw with a slight inwardly projecting knob, bearing teeth a little larger than the others. Chin with 4 distinct pores, the outer pair round. Inter- orbital space moderate, slightly convex, a little broader than length of snout, 4in head. Eye very large, considerably longer than snout. Pre- opercle with strong teeth, which grow stronger toward the angle, the lowest tooth very strong and directed downward and forward; opercu- lar spines blunt and flattish; gill rakers numerous, long and slender, + length of eye, 8+16 in number; scales roughish, extending up on soft portions of vertical fins, covering about 4 of the soft dorsal and more of the anal. Lateral line not strongly curved, becoming straight in front of anal. First dorsal high, its spines slenderer than in B. armata, stouter than in JL. icistia, the second spine short, slender, very stout, 4 the length of the third, which is 1} in length of head. Soft dorsal rather high, its longest rays a little less than + head. Caudal subtruncate, the middle and upper rays slightly produced, its length 14 in head. Distance from front of anal to caudal 34 in length of body; abdomen extremely long, its length + greater than length of head; posterior outline of anal fin concave, its second spine very long and strong, scarcely shorter than soft rays, its length 1} in head, its distance from the vent 3 its Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1435 length; ventrals long, 1? in length of head, reaching beyond tips of pec- torals, but not quite to vent; pectorals rather short, 1; in head. Color bluish gray above and on sides, silvery below; a dark, ill-defined bluish- gray blotch on upper anterior angle of opercle; mouth yellow within, blackish toward tip of lower jaw; spinous dorsal translucent, with dark punctulations and a narrow black margin, or sometimes largely blackish; soft dorsal dusky yellow; caudal and anterior 3 rays of anal brighter yel- low; caudal and membrane between spine and first soft ray of anal with black punctulations; posterior anal rays white; ventrals immaculate; pectorals with upper half of axil and membrane of upper rays internally brownish, the upper rays with a slight yellowish tint externally. Length a foot. Panama; rather common. Of all the American Scizenoids this species has the largest anal spine in proportion to the size of the body. (ensis, sword; fero, I bear.) Sciena ensifera, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U. 8. Fish Comm.1881, 313, Panama; Punta Arenas. (Coll. C. H. Gilbert.) Corvina fulgens, VAILLANT, Miss. Sci. au Mexique, 164, 1883, Pacific Coast of Mexico. Bairdiella ensifera, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, I. c., 387, 1889. 1816. BAIRDIELLA ICISTIA (Jordan & Gilbert). (CORBINETA.) Head 3} to 34; depth 34 to 3}. LD. X-I, 28; A. II, 8; scales 8-51-10. Body elongate, compressed, the back a little elevated; snout very short, compressed, and rather blunt, 4in head; mouth moderately wide, oblique; lower jaw somewhat included; maxillary reaching vertical from posterior margin of pupil, 2} in head; upper jaw with a narrow band of villiform teeth and an external series of somewhat larger teeth; lower jaw with 1 or 2 series of teeth smaller than the enlarged teeth of upper jaw and more close-set; in front this series broadens into a narrow band. Chin with 4 pores; premaxillaries on the level of lower part of pupil, project- ing beyond snout. Interorbital region slightly depressed. Gill rakers long and strong, about 6-+- 17 in number. Preopercle with its lower edge smooth, the posterior edge armed with distinct spines, the 3 spines nearest the angle much the longest, the lowest directed vertically downward and somewhat forward. Kye large, its diameter slightly less than length of snout or than iterorbital width, 4% in length of head. Scales rather small; series of small scales on membrane of dorsal and anal; lateral line little arched, becoming straight opposite interval between vent and anal. Spinous dorsal high, the spines all very slender, weak, and flexible, more slender than in other species of this subgenus, the third and fourth about equal, much longer than the others, the upper margin of the fin very oblique; the longest spine about i; length of head, much longer than the soft rays, which are about 34 in head; second anal spine exceed- ingly strong, 1} in head, about # length of fourth dorsal spine, and about as long as first soft ray of anal; middle rays of caudal slightly produced, 15 in head, the fin subtruncate; ventrals long, their length more than 4 the distance from their base to origin of anal; pectorals not reaching vertical from tips of ventrals, about equal to them in length, 14 1456 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. in head. Color grayish silvery above, silvery on sides and below; dorsal region with faint streaks produced by darker centers of the scales; spi- nous dorsal blackish, darker on membrane of first spine, the soft portion as well as the caudal yellowish dusky; ventrals and pectorals pale, each with a faint yellowish blotch; axil of pectoral black above; anal pale. Pacific coast of Mexico; rather common about Mazatlan; readily distinguished from other species by the weakness of its dorsal spines, as well as by the large number of the soft rays. (¢/%@ to yield; ior/or, sail, from the slen- derness of its species. ) Scicena icistia, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. 8S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 356, Mazatlan. (Types, Nos. 28182, 28228, 28275, 28368, 29566, 29613, 29615, 29775, 29790. Coll. Gilbert.) Bairdiella icistia, JORDAN & E1GENMANN, I. c., 387, 1889. 1817. BAIRDIELLA RONCHUS (Cuvier & Valenciennes). (Ronco; GROUND DRUMMER.) Head 31; depth 3+; eye 44 in head. D. X-~I, 23; A. II, 8; scales 7-50-8. Body oblong, compressed, scarcely angular in outline; profile straight. rather steep, the snout short and rather acute; eye as long as snout; mouth moderate, nearly horizontal; premaxillary on level of lower part of orbit; maxillary reaching beyond middle of eye, 22 in head; teeth as in Bairdiella icistia; preopercle strongly serrate; gill-rakers 9+-18. Dorsal spines rather stiff, the highest 2 in head; second anal spine rather strong, curved, 1? in head, as long as first soft ray, and reaching beyond tips of other rays. Ven- trals slightly longer than pectorals, which are 1? in head; caudal truncate. Color soiled grayish above, silvery below; faint, dark streaks along the rows of scales; spinous dorsal and anterior part of anal densely covered with dark dots. Length 6 inches. Atlantic coasts of tropical America, generally common in the West Indies and along the coast of Brazil; * a food-fish of some importance, but small in size; our specimens from Havana. (Ronco, grunter or croaker, the Spanish name of various species of Hemulon, Pomadasis, Bairdiella, etc., from roncar, to snore, or to make a rough oF raucous noise. ) Corvina ronchus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Vv. 107, 1830, Maracaibo; Surinam; GUNTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., 0, 299, 1860; GUNTHER, Fishes Central America, 387, 1869. Bairdiella ronchus, POEY, Synopsis, 324, 1868. Scicena ronchus, JORDAN, Proce. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1886, 44. Bairdiella ronchus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, Ll. c., 388, 1889. Subgenus NECTOR, Jordan & Evermann. 1818. BAIRDIELLA ARMATA, Gill. Head 8 to 3}; depth3; eye 43 in head; snout 4. D. XI-I, 21; A. II, 8; scales 7-51-9. Snout sharp, the head slender, narrow above, the interorbital *Many specimens from Rio Janeiro and from Havana are in the museum at Cambridge. There is considerable individual variation, but there seems to be no specific difference between Cuban and Brazilian examples. A number of specimens in poor condition are also in the museum, supposed to have been obtained by Captain Perry at Vera Cruz. These have the snout longer, the eye smaller, ana the fins higher than usual in ronchus, and they may represent a different species. In these the snout is 4 in head, the eye 4%, the longest dorsal spines 13, the second anal spine 13. D, X-I, 24, Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1437 space not broader than eye; anal spine very long and strong, 1} in head; pectoral fin short, 1} in head; form of body irregularly rhomboidal, the base of the anal fin being oblique; profile almost straight anteriorly; eye moderate, slightly shorter than snout; mouth large, inferior, almost hori- zontal, maxillary reaching beyond pupil, 23 in head. Mouth inferior or subinferior, little oblique; preorbital broader, gill rakers shorter, and pores and slits on snout more conspicuous than in other species. Upper jaw with a band of villiform teeth and an outer series of enlarged teeth; lower teeth in a moderate band, the inner series slightly enlarged, espe- cially in young examples; gill rakers comparatively short, 8+ 15; dorsal spines short and stout, slightly more than 2 in head; caudal rounded; anal spine 13 in head; basalhalf of the soft dorsal and anal covered with scales. Color, bluish above, silvery below, a rather broad area from snout to caudal covered with brownish dots; upper fins and anterior half of anal with many dots.* Both coasts of tropical America; not uncommon on the Pacific coast about Panama, and equally abundant on the Atlantic coast, where it seems to ascend the rivers. (armatus, armed.) Bairdiella armata, GIL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1863, 164, west coast Central America; JORDAN & EIGENMANN, lL. c., 388, 1889. Corvina acutirostris, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitr., 111, 28, pl. 4, 1875, Panama. Corvina armata, GUNTHER, Fishes Central America, 387 and 428, 1869. Corvina (Homoprion) acutirostris, STEINDACHNER, Zur Fisch-Fauna des Magdalenen- Stromes, 9, 1878. 1819. BAIRDIELLA ALUTA, Jordan & Gilbert. Head 32; depth 34; D. X-I, 18; A. II, 8; scales 44, 5 in a vertical series from front of dorsal to lateral line. Form rather elongate, the back a little elevated and compressed; caudal peduncle especially long and slender; head rather broad above the eyes, somewhat depressed, so that the anterior profile is a little concave, in front of which the snout is rather abruptly truncate; interorbital space a little broader than the large eye, the diameter of which is about equal to the length of the snout, and con- tained about 4 times in the length of the head. Width of preorbital 2 diameter of eye. Preopercle strongly serrated, the 3 lowest serrae radiating, the lowest and largest one turned downward and forward; lower jaw included, considerably shorter than upper; snout scarcely pro- jecting beyond premaxillaries; mouth nearly horizontal; premaxillaries much below the level of the eye; maxillary extending to just beyond middle of eye. Teeth in both jaws in narrow villiform bands, the outer teeth in the upper jaw somewhat enlarged, those in the lower jaw all small. Sides and top of head somewhat cavernous, the surface yielding to the touch. Gill rakers shortish, rather slender, about as long as pupil; pseudobranchiae large. Dorsal fin divided nearly to base, the spines not very high, rather flexible, the longest little more than 4 length of * Bairdiella armata is close to Bairdiella ronchus, and the character of the dentition of the lower jaw, which we have used to divide Bairdiella into minor groups, becomes here of slightimportance. Wehave examined specimensof this species from Panama, Rio Magda- lena, San Matheo, Camaru, Cannarivieras, Curuca, Bahia, Pernambuco, Maranhao, and Itabapuana. The specimen from the latter locality (10837, M.C. Z.) is nearly a foot long, and has the spines a little shorter and stouter than in Panama examples. 1438 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. head, second spine a little shorter than third and nearly as high; second dorsal rather low; second anal spine strong, about 4 length of head, height of the soft rays; distance from front of anal to caudal 1} in length of body; distance from vent to anal a little more than 4 length of second anal spine; caudal fin long, double truncate, the middle rays pro- duced, as long as from snout to edge of preopercle; caudal peduncle (from end of anal) 1} in head; anal ending in advance of end of dorsal, its first spine in advance of middle of soft dorsal; ventrals long, the second ray filamentous, reaching vent; pectorals rather short, as long as caudal. Seales large, those on breast not much smaller; soft parts of vertical fins scaly toward the base. Lower pharyngeals narrow, with small, slender, pointed teeth, those of the series on the inner edge of the bone much enlarged, also very slender. Color light reddish brown, dingy with dark punctulations; ground color a light coppery shade, little silvery; each scale with many dark points and a smutty edging; the general hue the same above and below; no distinct markings; preorbital of asoiled silvery; fins similarly dusky, the caudal yellowish, the anal almost black; inside of opercle dusky. This species strongly resembles Bairdiella chrysoleuca, apparently dif- fering only in the larger scales, fewer dorsal rays, longer caudal fin, and larger eyes. The 2 characters last mentioned may be due to youth, the type of aluta being smaller than any chrysoleuca examined by us. The other characters are possibly results of extreme variation, and the 2 nominal species may prove to be identical. Pacific coast of Central America; known only from the original type, 74 inches long. (a@Aovrd6s, unwashed. ) : Sciceena aluta, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 232, La Union, San Sal- vador. (Type, No. 28129. Coll. Capt. Henry E. Nichols.) Bairdiella aluta, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l.c., 389, 1889. 1820. BAIRDIELLA CHRYSOLEUCA (Giinther). Head 3$; depth 3; eye 5 in head; snout 4. D. X-1, 21 or 22; A. II, 9; scales 6-50 to 55-13. Back somewhat elevated, the form of the body much as in Ophioscion scierus and related species; preorbital broader than in other species of Bairdiella, + width of eye; pores on snout more con- spicuous than in other species; snout bluntish; interorbital space 33; head thick,*somewhat more cavernous than in related forms; mouth subinterior, little oblique; premaxillary entirely below level of eye; max- illary 2% in head; teeth of outer series of upper jaw enlarged, teeth of lower jaw in a narrow, villiform band; lowest serre on preopercle smaller and less turned forward than in the other species; dorsal spines rather stout, the second strong, the third longest, 1? in head; second anal spine shorter than the soft rays, 2} in head, the form and size of these spines very variable; gill rakers short and slender, «+15, the longest not as long as pupil; caudal fin double truncate; pectoral 14 in head; caudal 1} in head. Color soiled brassy, irregularly mottled with large patches of shining golden brown; faint dark stripes along the rows of scales above, those below lateral line nearly horizontal, those above Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 1439 oblique.* Panama, apparently rare; quite variable, especially in the arma- ture of its preopercle. (ypv60s, gold; Aevxds, white.) Corvina chrysoleuca, GUNTHER, Fish. Central America, 387 and 427, pl. 67, fig. 1, 1869, Panama. Sciena chrysoleuca, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. 1881, 316. Bairdiella chrysoleuca, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 389, 1889. 581. STELLIFER (Cuvier) Oken. Les Stelliferes, CUVIER, Régne Animal, Ed. 1, 283, 1817 (stellifer). Stellifer (CUVIER) OKEN, Isis, 1182, 1817 (stellifer). Stelliferus, STARK, Elements Nat. Hist., 1, 459, 1828 (stellifer). Homoprion,t HOLBROOK, Ichth. S. Carol., 1st ed., 168, 1856 (lanceolata). Zestis, GILBERT, new subgenus (oscitans). Zestidium, GILBERT, new subgenus (illecebrosus). Stellicarens, GILBERT, new subgenus (zestocarus). This genus is composed of small species, all American, allied to Bairdi- ella and Ophioscion, but distinguished by the remarkably spongy and cavernous construction of the bones of the skull. The septa are reduced to the thinness of the walls of honeycomb. The skull is also very broad and much depressed between the eyes. The species vary considerably among themselves in these and other respects, and may be thrown into 4 subgenera, distinguished by the armature of the preopercle. (stella, star; fero, I bear, from the radiated appearance of the spongy suborbi- tals; “L’étoile que ce poisson porte a Vail, m’a engagé a le denommer” (Bloch). ZESTIS (Gears, soft-boiled) : I. Preopercle with two strong spines only, the uppermost directed backward, the lower downward. a. Jaws subequal, the mouth very oblique, large; teeth of lower jaw unequal, the inner series enlarged. OSCITANS, 1821. aa. Jaws unequal, the lower short and included; mouth less oblique; teeth of lower jaw in a villiform band, subequal. b. Mouth moderate, the maxillary 24 in head; lower spine of preopercle directed downward and forward. FURTHI, 1822. II. Preopercle serrate, its spinules 6 to 20. ZESTIDIUM (diminutive of Zestis) : e. Lowermost spinule of preopercle directed downwards; body robust. d. Dorsal rays XIV, 20 or 21; pectorals short, 13 in head; gill rakers 5+10; col- oration dark. ILLECEBROSUS, 1823. STELLIFER : cc. Lowermost spinule of preopercle not directed downwards; caudal fin pointed. e. Mouth large, oblique, the maxillary 2 to 24 in length of head; snout very short, little projecting. J. Preopercle with 3 or 4 spines next the angle, divergent, considerably larger than the others. * This species, although technically a Bairdiella, shows numerous afiinities with Ophio- scion scierus and other species of that genus. It marks the transition from one group of Scizwnoids to the other, from those related to Larimus to those allied to Sciena. ae }The generic name Homoprion was based on a species each of Stellifer and Bairdiella. It was roptrlsvedt by Gill to the former group, and should therefore be regarded as asynonym of Stellifer. 1440 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. g. Pectoral fin long, 1}in head; body deep, compressed; head short, deep, more compressed than in related species, the interor- bital space Jess depressed, its width 3! in head, the supra- ocular ridges less prominent. D. XI-I, 19. STELLIFER, 1824. gg. Pectoral fin short, about 12 in head; interorbital space 3 in head; second anal spine 24; body rather slender; snout as long as eye, 44 in head; mouth moderate, oblique, the max- illary not quite 4 length of head, extending just past pupil. D. XAT, 20)to 23: LANCEOLATUS, 1825. ff. Preopercle with numerous short, straight spinules, which decrease in size regularly from angle upward; mouth terminal, the max- illary 22 in head; head extremely spongy, pectorals 1} in head. D. XUIELI, 23 or 24. ERICYMBA, 1826. ee. Mouth small, inferior, nearly horizontal, the maxillary 3 to 3} in head; snout thick, blunt, and protuberent; eye small, 5 to 6in head; teeth on preopercle subequal; preorbital thick and swollen, much broader than eye; body moderately elongate. D. X-I, 19. MICROPS, 1827. STELLICARENS (stella, star; carens, lacking) : III. Preopercle without bony serrx, or with a single somewhat flexible point. D. XII-19; mouth large, oblique; head narrow, very spongy; pec- torals 14 in head. ZESTOCARUS, 1828. Subgenus ZESTIS, Gilbert. 1821, STELLIFER OSCITANS (Jordan & Gilbert). Head 33; depth 3; eye 4% in head; snout 43. D. XI-I, 22; A. II, 8; scales 6-53-9, 47 pores. Body oblong, the back somewhat elevated; head very wide and heavy, almost quadrate, flat above; cheeks nearly vertical; cranium above, as well as preorbital and preopercle, cavernous, yielding to the touch; snout heavy, projecting a little beyond premaxillaries, much broader than long, its length 4 in head; interorbital space very broad and flat, its breadth 2? times in length of head; greatest width of head # its greatest height; eye moderate, its diameter equal to + the interorbital space; supraorbital rim slightly elevated. ; Mouth very wide and oblique, the lower jaw included; length of gape twice in length of head; premaxillaries anteriorly on the level of the lower part of pupil; maxillary reaching well beyond the posterior margin of the orbit; chin with a small but distinct knob, the pores around it not well marked. Teeth small, not forming villiform bands, in 2 rather irregular series in each jaw, the outer teeth in upper jaw somewhat enlarged, the large teeth fewer in number and larger than in S. furthi. Gill rakers numerous, very fine and slender, the largest about } diameter of orbit, 21+ 27. Pseudobranchiz quite small. Preopercle with its angle evenly rounded, the upper and lower limbs nearly equal, the membrana- ceous margin minutely serrulate; above the angle is a short, very strong spine directed backwards, and at the angle is a similar one directed obliquely downward and backward; no other stiff spines on the preopercle. First and second spines of the dorsal strong and inflexible, second spine about 4 length of head; third spine longest, about + as long as head, and like the succeeding spines very slender and flexible; eleventh and twelfth spines longer and stronger than the tenth; soft dorsal anteriorly Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1441 about as high as the third spine; anal short, its second spine long and very strong, much stronger than second dorsal spine and longer than the third, its length rather more than }$ the length of the head; shorter than soft rays, its tip not reaching when depressed to end of soft rays; distance from vent to second anal spine considerably less than length of second anal spine; caudal rounded, the middle rays produced, its length a little less than 4 that of head; pectorals -broad, reaching almost to vent, about equal to length of head; ventrals not reaching nearly to vent; soft dorsal, anal, and caudal fins thickly scaled to their tips; the spinous dorsal with a thick scaly sheath at base, each spine with a series of scales; other fins more or less scaly. Seales large; lateral line with a wide low curve anteriorly, becoming straight in front of origin of anal; tubes of lateral line branched ante- riorly. Coloration dusky above, pale below, with somesilvery luster; middle of sides conspicuously punctulate; upper fins all brownish, punctulate with darker; ventrals, anal, and pectoral pale; the anal and pectoral dusted with dark points; opercle blackish within; peritoneum dusky silvery. Panama; notuncommon. In the dentition and form of its mouth it differs from the other species, approaching the genus Bairdiella. (oscitans, yawning.) Scicena oscitans, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. 1881, 312, Bay of Panama (Coll. C. H. Gilbert); JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1882, 376. Stelliferus oscitans, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. ¢., 393, 1889. 1822. STELLIFER FURTHI* (Steindachner). Head 32; depth 23 to 3; eye 4% in head. D. XI-I, 23; A. II, 9; scales 6-46-10. Body rather short and deep, the back elevated, and the profile steep. Mouth moderate, the maxillary reaching to behind pupil, 2} in head; lower spine of preopercle directed downward and forward; bones of side of head little cavernous; interorbital width more than 4 head; mouth low, little oblique, the maxillary reaching to behind pupil, 24 in head; lower jaw included; teeth of lower jaw subequal, in a narrow villi- form band; gill rakers rather short, few; snout short, thick, and blunt, pro- truding beyond the premaxillaries which are on the level of the eye; highest dorsal spine 1? in head; second anal spine small, 24 in head, shorter than soft rays; ventrals 2} in head; pectorals scarcely shorter than head. Color dull silvery, darker above; lower fins pale. Panama; not rare. (Named for Ignatius Fiirth, Austrian cousul at Panama, who sent a valu- able collection of fishes to Dr. Steindachner at Vienna. ) Corvina (Homoprion) fiirthi, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitr., 11, 26, fig. 3, 1875, Panama. (Coll. Ignatius Fiirth.) Sciena fiirthi, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U.S., Fish Comm. 1881, 315. Stilliferus fiirthi, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, lL. ¢., 393, 1889. * A closely allied species, with larger mouth, Stellifer rastrifer, Jordan, is common on the coast of Brazil, and may be found in Guiana. 1442 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. Subgenus ZESTIDIUM, Gilbert. 1823. STELLIFER ILLECEBROSUS*, Gilbert. Head 3; depth 2,4; eye 5+ to 52 in head; snout 4 to 44. D. XIV, 20 or 21; A. II, 11; pectoral 19 or 20. Body compressed, rather deep, both outlines curved, the dorsal more than the ventral; head broad and de- pressed, but less so than in the other species of Stellifer, the interorbital width equaling distance from tip of snout to front of pupil, 3% in head; greatest width of head 1,4, to 2;4, in its length. Upper profile de- pressed above the orbits, the snout rather bluntly rounded, overlapping the premaxillaries but little; mouth large, moderately oblique, the gape curved; maxillary reaching vertical from middle of pupil, or slightly behind this point, its length, measured from front of premaxillaries, 23 to 25 in head. Teeth in lower jaw uniform in size, in a villiform band of moderate width, which does not conspicuously increase toward sym- physis; premaxillary teeth in a similar villiform band, with an outer row of enlarged canines, which decrease in size toward the angle of the mouth. Lips thin, but somewhat thicker than in other species of the genus; 5 large pores in mandible, and 5 in snout immediately behind premaxilla- ries, the inner pair concealed by overhanging lobes. Back of these are three minute pores. Least width of preorbital + the diameter of orbit. Vertical limb of preopercle with 8 or 9 rather slender spines, increasing in size toward the angle, usually 3 of those at the angle enlarged and radiating regularly, or the lowermost may be directed abruptly down- ward; the horizontal limb entire or provided with small flexible spines, loosely attached and projecting but little beyond the integument. Gill rakers short, slender, the longest nearly $ the longitudinal diameter of eye, 5 or 6 above angle of arch, 10 or 11 below. Spinous dorsal high, the first two spines strong and rigid, the third to the eleventh weak and flexi- ble, the twelfth to the fourteenth again stronger and rigid; second spine nearly % the third, which is the longest, 17 in head; the fin diminishing slowly in height to the sixth spine, then more rapidly to the eleventh, which is the shortest; twelfth to fourteenth progressively lengthen and belonging to the second dorsal, the last being more than } the length of the longest ray; second anal spine long and slender, about } the height of the longest ray, equaling distance from tip of snout to front of pupil; caudal convex, the lower lobe slightly longer than the upper; pectorals short and broad, 13 to 1? in head, the upper angle rounded, not reaching as far back as the ventrals, which equal them in length; axillary scales of ventrals and pectorals very little developed. Color varying from uniform deep bronze purple on body and fins to brownish gray with silvery reflec- tions; lower parts of head and body somewhat lighter; tip of mandible white. Eight specimens, the longest 8 inches, were taken around San Jose Rock, in the Bay of Panama. This species is related most nearly to Stellifer minor, in some respects intermediate between Stellifer and Bairdiella. In this species, 3 slender interneurals not connected with dor- *Stellifer minor (Tschudi), a related species with similar opercular armature, is a com- mon food fish of Peru. It reaches a larger size than any of the others. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1443 sal spines lie in advance of the neural spine of the second vertebra; 4 interneurals giving attachment to dorsal spines lie crowded between the neural spines of the second and third vertebrw, the anterior one being very broad; 3 interneurals follow interposed between the third and fourth neurals, and 3 more between the fourth and fifth. (Gilbert.) (illecebra, a spur. ) Stellifer illecebrosus, GILBERT MS., Fishes of Panama, 1898, Panama. (Coll. Gilbert.) Subgenus STELLIFER. 1824. STELLIFER STELLIFER (Bloch). Head 34; depth 34; eye rather large, 44 in head; snout very short and blunt, 44; D. XI-I, 19; A. II, 8; scales 48. Mouth large, oblique, the max- illary 2 to 2} in length of head; reaching posterior border of eye; snout very short, little projecting; preopercle with 3 or 4 spines next the angle, divergent, considerably larger than the others; lowermost spinule of pre- opercle not directed downward; pectoral fin long, 1; in head; body deep, compressed; head short, deep, more compressed than in related species, the interorbital space less depressed, its width 3} in head, the supraocular ridges less prominent; anterior profile evenly convex; the premaxillary on the level of lower part of eye; preopercle very convex, forming an are of acircle; gill rakers long and slender, r+ 18, the longest } eye; dorsal spines slender, rather low, the longest 14 in head; second anal spine long and rather stout, 13 in head; caudal fin pointed. Color dull silvery, the fins not very dark. Coasts of Guiana and Brazil, rather common; the specimens above described from Bahia. (stellifer, star-bearing, from the radiated suborbital. ) Bodianus stellifer, BLocu, Ichthyologia, pl. 231, 1790, Cape of Good Hope. Corvina trispinosa, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 109, 1830, Brazil; Cayenne; STEINDACHNER, Scienoiden Brasiliens, 14, 1863. Scieena (Stelliferus) stellifera, JORDAN, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1886, 540 (notes on type of trispinosa). Stelliferus stellifer, JORDAN & EHIGENMANN, J. c., 394. 1825. STELLIFER LANCEOLATUS (Holbrook). Head 34; depth 34; eye 44; snout 44. D. XI-I, 20 to 23; A. II, 7 or 8; scales 5-47 to 50-8. Interorbital width 3 in head; gill rakers 13 -+ 22, about 7 length of eye; pectoral short, about 1} in head, about as long as ventral; second anal spine 2}. Body rather slender; mouth moderate, oblique, the maxillary not quite half length of head, extending just past pupil; premaxillary in front on level of lower margin of pupil. Teeth above in broad bands, the outer row enlarged. Scales on head cycloid. Dorsal spines slender, the first two somewhat stronger, the highest about 2 in head; caudal long, lanceolate, 11 in head; second anal spine little shorter than highest dorsal spine; first ventral ray filiform. Color grayish olive above, silvery below; fins all nearly uniform dusky, the ventrals margined with white; many black dots along the sides; base of ana] fin and inner lining of opercle dusky. South Atlantic and Gulf Coast of the United 1444 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. States, Charleston to Texas; a small fish, rather rare on our coast, and from rather deep water; the specimen here described obtained at Charles- ton. (lanceolatus, lanceolate, from the form of the caudal.) Homoprion lanceolatus, HoLBRook, Ichthyol. S. Carolina, Ed. 1, 168, pl. 23, 1856, Port Royal Sound, Beaufort, S. C.; GrrArD, U.S. and Mex. Bound. Survey, 11, 1859. Sciena lanceolata, GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 289, 1860; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 931, 1883. Stelliferus lanceolatus, GOODE, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 113; JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. ¢., 394, 1889. Sciena stellifera, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 569, 1883. 1826. STELLIFER ERICYMBA (Jordan & Gilbert). Head 34; depth 34; eye 5 in head; snout 5; D. XII-I, 23 or 24; A. II, 7 or 8; scales 5-48-8. Body short and stout, little compressed, the back somewhat elevated, the caudal peduncle slender; profile nearly straight and not steep, from the scarcely truncate snout to the occiput, where an angle is formed, the rise thence to the base of the dorsal being more steep; head very broad, with very cavernous preopercle, preorbital, and cranium; interorbital space broad, flat, its least width equal to snout and 4 of eye, about twice diameter of small eye, 24 in length of head. Snout very short, not projecting beyond premaxillaries; supraocular ridges prominent; a cross ridge on forehead connecting nostrils; mouth terminal, oblique, smaller, and more oblique than in 8S. furthi, its gape 24 in length of head; premaxillaries in front on the level of the lower part of the eye; maxillary reaching to opposite posterior border of pupil; front of premaxillaries extending farther forward than tip of snout. Teeth much as in S. furthi; upper jaw with an external series of small, slender teeth, behind which are 2 or3 rows of smaller teeth; lower jaw with a narrow villiform band; pores of chin obscure; symphyseal knob small. Edge of preopercle with several (about 7) rather strong, slender, radiating teeth, the 3 near the angle largest, none of them directed downward or forward. Gill rakers long and slender, 11+ 18, much more than $ diameter of eye; pseudobranchiz small. Suprascapula prominent, with slender teeth. Scales large, rather strongly ctenoid; lateral line very strongly arched, becoming straight just in front of insertion of anal. Vertical fins covered with small scales. Spinous dorsal low, the second spine much stouter than those succeeding , stiff; other spines very slender and flexible; second spine as long as snout and 4 of eye; third spine ? length of head; soft dorsal low, rather lower than the spines. Caudal fin rhombic, the middle rays longest, } length of head; least depth of caudal peduncle ? length of head; anal fin small, not very far back, its last rays well in front of last of dorsal; distance from its first ray to front of caudal 3¢ in total length of fish (to base of caudal); its distance behind the vent about equal to the length of its second spine which is 2}* in head, stout, but shortish, lower than the soft rays; ventrals moderate, not reaching vent, coterminous with the pectorals, which are rather long, } length of head. Coloration dark brownish above, white below; everywhere with dark points; upper part with bright-bluish reflections; lower parts with *Misprinted 4 in the original description. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1445 silvery luster; a dark temporal blotch; lower jaw black within, behind the front teeth; fins all dark-brownish, the pectoral, anal, and ventrals quite black, with minute dark points; tip of spinous dorsal black; lining of opercle dusky; peritoneum silvery. Bay of Panama, rather common, Types from 6 to 7 inches in length, and as they are evidently mature, this species is probably one of the smallest of the Scizenoid fishes. The caver- nous structure of the bones of the head reaches in this species an ex- treme. (Hricymba, a genus of minnows with similar cavernous head; épu, very; xUu3n, cavity.) Scicena ericymba, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 1881, 311, Bay of Panama. (Coll. C. H. Gilbert.) Stelliferus ericymba, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 394, 1889. 1827. STELLIFER MICROPS* (Steindachner). Head 31; depth 34; eyed to6; snout 4. D. X-I,19; A. II, 8; scales 51. Body moderately elongate; snout thick, blunt, convex, and protuberant; head above less cavernous than usual in the genus, more so below; pre- opercle (as usual in this genus) forming the are of a circle; mouth rather small, inferior, nearly horizontal; the maxillary 3 in head; premaxillaries entirely below levelof eye; lower jaw cavernous; gill rakers about «+ 16, about + diameter of eye; no pores or slits at end of snout; interorbital space 23 in head; dorsal spines low, the longest 13 in head; soft dorsal high, the longest ray 2} in head; second anal spine rather large, 13 in head; pectoral 1}; teeth on preopercle subequal; preorbital thick and swollen, much broader than eye. Color pale, nearly plain; faint oblique streaks along the rows of scales, those below lateral line running obliquely upward and backward; scales of sides with many brown dots. Length 34 inches. Coast of Brazil and Guiana. The specimens here described (4581, M. C, Z.) collected at Para by Dr. Steindachner. (11xp0s small; wy, eye. ) : Corvina stellifera, GUNTHER, Cat., I, 299, 1860, West Indies (not Bodianus stellifer, BuLocn#). Corvina microps, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Not., 1, 6, pl. 2, fig. 1, 1864, Guiana. Stelliferus microps, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 395, 1889. Subgenus STELLICARENS, Gilbert. 1828. STELLIFER ZESTOCARUS, Gilbert. Head 34 to 35; depth 29 to 2,4; eye 33 to 32 in head; snout 44. Pores in lateral line 47t0 50. D.XII,19; A. II, 10. Body comparatively deep and compressed, with narrow head, large oblique mouth, the greatest width ot head 1} to 14 in its length. Anterior profile rising in an even convex curve to front of dorsal, depressed very little if at all above the orbits; greatest depth under front of spinous dorsal; length of caudal peduncle measured from base of last anal ray 13 in head; from last dorsal ray 13; least depth of caudal peduncle 2 in head; head extremely soft, the bones * A related species, Stellifer naso, Jordan, having the eye large, and the lower teeth on preorbital enlarged, occurs in Brazil. 1446 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. cavernous; snout bluntish, not projecting beyond the premaxillaries, its length 4} in head; lower jaw included, the tip produced into a short but distinct symphyseal knob; mouth large, very oblique, the maxillary (measured from front of snout) equaling length of snout and eye, 25 in head. Teeth in narrow villiform bands in both jaws, widest in. sides of premaxillaries; none of the teeth enlarged; lips thin; mental and rostral pores minute; interorbital space transversely convex, 2} to 2; in head; supraorbital ridges prominent; preopercle with a wide membranous bor- der which is strengthened near the angle with diverging ribs; a single, rather stiff spine directed backward, immediately above the angle. Gill rakers numerous, long and slender, about 20 on horizontal limb of arch, the longest + the diameter of orbit. Eye large, elliptical, the long axis oblique, equaling distance from tip of snout to front of pupil. Fins high, densely scaled, including the spinous dorsal; first and second dorsal spines rather strong and stiff, the third and succeeding spines flexible; third spine longest, 13 in head; the ninth spine is shortest, the tenth and eleventh longer, belonging to the soft dorsal; last 3 spines stronger and rigid; second anal spine long and rather slender, 2} to 2? in length of head; longest anal ray 13 to 1} in head; anal basis long, equaling length of snout and eye; caudal double truncate, almost lanceolate, the middle rays much produced, 1} or 1} in head; pectorals long, reaching beyond vent, 14 in head; ventrals not nearly reaching vent, 14 to 1} in head. Seales thin, deciduous, weakly ctenoid; head completely scaled. Color nearly uniform grayish silvery above, bright silvery below; fins slightly dusky; mouth and gill cavities silvery white, a blackish blotch in the region of the pseudobranchiw. Seven specimens known, all from Panama Bay, the longest about 6 inches long. (Gilbert.) (Cedros, soft-boiled; xapa, head. ) Stellifer zestocarus, GILBERT MS., Fishes of Panama, 1898, Panama. (Coll. C. H. Gilbert.) 582. OPHIOSCION, Gill. Ophioscion, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1863, 164 (typicus). Sigmurus, GILBERT, new subgenus (vermicularis). This genus is composed of small species, nearly all American, allied to Sciena (Sciena umbra L.), but differing in the armature of the preopercle, its bony margin being at all ages armed with strong persistent serre, the lowermost teeth not directed forward. The caudal fin in this group is never lunate; the soft dorsal and anal are scaly; teeth in bands; gill rakers rather short. (07s, snake; 6x/ov, Sciwna.) OPHIOSCION : T. Caudal fin convex or double truncate, the middle rays longest; teeth in the lower jaw equal, in a villiform band. a. Caudal lanceolate, as long as head in adult; soft dorsal rays 21 to 23. b. Anterior profile of head not concave; caudal moderate, shorter than head. D. X-I, 22 or 23; head low, subconic; maxillary 3!in head. Colorsoiled brassy, with dark streaks along the rows of scales. ADUSTUS, 1829. bb. Anterior profile of head more or less concave, especially in old examples; caudal lanceolate, as long as head. Color grayish; the fins largely black. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1447 c. Kye large, 3} in head; snout projecting beyond the small mouth, the ~ maxillary 24in head; preopercle withnumerousspines. D. XI, 22. TYPICUS, 1830. ce. Kye small, 4 to 44 in head; snout littie projecting; mouth wider, the maxillary 34 in head, preopercle with 4 to 6 spines. STRABO, 1831. aa. Caudal fin irregularly double truncate, much shorter than the head; soft dorsal with 24 to 26 rays. e. Snout much projecting beyond the premaxillaries; head blunt, somewhat spongy; body rather deep, compressed; the back considerably ele- vated. Color uniform dull brownish without dark streaks. Jf. Pectorals 14 in head; maxillary 34 in head; head less depressed, everywhere rounded. SIMULUS, 18382. Jj. Pectorals almost as long as head; maxillary 3 in head; head low and small. IMICEPS, 1833. ee. Snout scarcely projecting beyond the premaxillaries; head not very slen- der; body robust; profile steep; back and sides with conspicuous blackish streaks along the rows of scales; maxillary 3 in head; cau- dal 12 in head; pectorals 14; fins dusky. SCIERUS, 1834. SIGMURUS (alyua, sigma; ovpa, tail): II. Caudal f-shaped, the acute upper angle much produced, longer than median rays. Teeth in lower jaw unequal, a series of larger ones being present besides those of the villiform band; body with distinct dark streaks; fins dusky. Second anal spine strong, 2in head. D. X-I, 25. VERMICULARIS, 1835. Subgenus OPHIOSCION. 1829. OPHIOSCION ADUSTUS (Agassiz). Head 33; depth 34. D. XI-I, 22; A. II, 7; scales 51 (pores); eye 3% in head; snout 43; maxillary 35; preorbital about as broad as eye. Body compressed, of moderate depth, the head low, subconic, acutish, but blunted at tip of snout. Snout rather long, projecting, its usual pores and slits well developed; eye rather small; mouth small, inferior, hori- zontal, the maxillary reaching to opposite posterior edge of pupil. Lower teeth equal, in a broadish band; upper teeth with the outer row a little enlarged; interorbital width 34 in head. Preopercle with vertical limb and rounded angle with about 8 rather strong teeth. Gill rakers very short, thicker than high. Scales regularly placed, those below lateral line in horizontal series; lateral line becoming straight before anal. Dor sal spines stout, the longest 1/ in head; longest soft rays 3; second anal spine short and very stout, 2 in head. Pectoral long, 14 in head. Color soiled brassy, a faint small dark spot on each scale of back and sides, these forming dusky streaks along each row of scales; fins all dark, with dark points, the pectorals, ventrals, and anal darkest. West Indies to coast of Brazil. Here described from No. 22417, M. C. Z., 7 inches long, collected at Pernambuco by Rey. J.C. Fletcher. Two other specimens examined by us, one from Jérémie, Hayti (D. X-I, 23), and another (1031, M. C. Z.) from Fonteboa, Brazil. This specimen, with its co-types from Jérémie and Fonteboa, was referred by Jordan & Eigen- mann (Rev. Scivn., 403, 1889) to Sciwna adusta, Agassiz. This determi- nation is apparently correct. It is, however, not the species called Sciana adusta by Eigenmann, Ann. N. Y. Ac. 1894, 631, which is the young of 1448 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. the fresh-water Lepipterus bonariensis. Agassiz’s figure of Sciwna adusta shows 19 or 20 soft dorsal rays. This is apparently an error of the artist, while the description which gives 28 soft dorsal rays is a slip or misprint of the author. Dr. Carlos Berg (Ann. Mus. Nac. Buenos Aires 1895, 53) observes: ‘‘The number of rays of the vertical fins is somewhat variable, as is also the intensity of the oblique dusky streaks. I observe the follow- ing formula: D. X-I, 23 to X-I, 26; A.II,7 or 8. Scales 51 to 60.” (adustus, scorched brown.) Scieena (Corvina) adusta, AGASSIZ, Spix. Brasil., 126, pl. 70, 1829, Montevideo. Sciena adusta, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, Review Scienidz, 408, 1889; BERG, Ann. Mus. Nac. Buenos Aires 1895, 53. 1830. OPHIOSCLON TYPICUS, Gill. Head 34; depth 34; eye 3% in head; snout 3%. D. X-I, 22; A. II. 7; seales 5-50-7. Anterior profile more or less concave, especially in old examples, the head being very low and slender; caudal fin lanceolate, almost as long as head; snout short and bluntish, projecting a little beyond the premaxillaries, about as long as eye; mouth small, low, maxillary extending to below middle of eye, 24 in head; teeth in both jaws in mod- erate bands, the outer series of the upper jaw enlarged; highest dorsal spine 14 in head; anal spine very thick, strong, as long as the rays, 1? in head; pectorals about as long as yentrals; first ventralray filiform. Color, grayish; anal and ventral fins largely black. Panama, not uncommon. In its slender head and lanceolate caudal fin it would seem to differ widely from most of the related forms. Its relations with O. scierus are, however, close, and O. imiceps is evidently intermediate. (typicus, typical.) Ophioscion typicus, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1863, 165, west coast Central America. Corvina ophioscion, GUNTHER, Fish. Central America, 387 and 428, 1866, Panama, Sciceena ophioscion, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. 1881, 315. Scicena typica*, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, lL. c., 404, 1889. 1831. OPHIOSCION STRABO, Gilbert. Head 32; depth 34. D. X-I, 22 or 23; A.II,6; eye4to44 inhead; snout 34; maxillary 3 to 32; highest dorsal spine 1% to 13; dorsal ray 2); anal ray 14; caudal 32 in length; pectorals 4%; ventrals 5; scales 5 or 6-49-10. Closely allied to O. typicus, having the same general shape and the elon- gated caudal, which is longer than head. It differs conspicuously in its much smaller eye, its heavier, shorter snout, which barely protrudes beyond the mouth, and its longer, less numerous, preopercular spines. Snout bluntly rounded, little projecting, the mouth short and broad com- pared with O. typicus. Anterior upper profile very concave, rising rapidly from occiput to dorsal, growing sharply compressed. Mouth moderately oblique, subterminal, the snout protruding beyond the premaxillaries for a distance (measured axially) equaling 4} diameter of pupil; maxillary *The undesirability of such words as ‘‘typicus’’ as specific names is very evident in this case. In following the law of priority in referring the species to Sciena, the species has possessed aname which is self-contradictory, as this is one of the species most unlike the real type of Sciena. If Ophioscion is recoguized, this solecism is not evident. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 1449 reaching slightly behind front of orbit. Mandibular teeth of equal size, in a wide villiform band; premaxillary band similar, preceded by an outer row of short slender canines; preorbital rather narrow, half interorbital width; eyes small, obliquely set; interorbital space transversely convex, its width 3? in head; a low superciliary ridge; preopercular margin with a few (4 to 6) slender needle-like spines, the 3 longer ones wide spaced, evenly radiating about the angle; margin of lower limb furnished with 5 or 6 minute spinous teeth, compressed, triangular, and flexible; gill rakers short, slender, and about } diameter of pupil, 6 or 7 above angle, 12 below; first 2 and last 2 dorsal spines rather strong and rigid, the others exceedingly slender and flexible; third spine the longest, reaching beyond base of tenth spine when depressed, 1% to 1} in length of head; tenth spine shortest, the eleventh longer, representing the first ray of second dorsal; distance from last dorsal ray to base of middle caudal ray equals length of snout and 4 of eye; second anal spine long and slender, 4 or slightly more than 4 length of head, ? or $ the longest anal ray; anal basis but little more oblique than the rest of the abdominal profile; distance from base of last anal ray to base of middle caudal ray slightly exceeds distance from tip of snout to preopercular margin; caudal lanceolate, the middle rays much produced, equaling distance from tip of snout to axil of pectorals; pectorals short, scarcely reaching tips of ventrals, the latter not to vent; outer ventral ray slightly produced beyond the rest. Scales smaller than in O. typicus, 5 or 6 in the vertical series between lateral line and back; arch of lateral line ending over the anterior portion of anal fin; head almost entirely scaled, including mandible, branchiostegal rays, preorbital, and top of head forward to near extreme tip of snout; on snout, preorbital, and mandibles, the scales are cycloid. Color in spirits, nearly uniform light brown, lighter below and with some silvery luster; fins all dusky, the anal and ventrals black, the outer ventral ray white; opercular lining dusky. Six specimens, the longest 5 inches long, from San Juan Lagoon, south of Guaymas, Mexico. (Gilbert.) (strabo, a blinkard, from the small oblique eyes. ) Ophioscion strabo, GILBERT, Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus. 1896 (1897), 444, San Juan Lagoon, south of Guaymas, Mexico. (Type, No. 47742, U.S. N. M. Coll. C. H. Gilbert.) 1852. OPHIOSCION SIMULUS, Gilbert. Head 33; depth 33; eye 42 in head. D. XI, 26; A.II, 7; P. 18 or 19; pores in lateral line 50; and smaller scales covering base of caudal fin. Body more elongate and less compressed than in other species, the head especially characterized by rounded outlines; preorbitals turgid; snout blunt, scarcely at all compressed, evenly rounded in all directions; top of head everywhere transversely convex, not at all depressed over the orbits; a scarcely noticeable depression at occiput, with the exception of which the profile rises slowly and evenly to the front of the dorsal fin; predorsal region transversely evenly convex, not compressed to a ridge except imme- diately in front of first dorsal spine; dorsal and ventral outlines about equally curved, the base of anal fin but littlo more oblique than the normal contour at that point. Mouth wide, broadly U-shaped as seen from below, 3030——14 1450 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. overpassed by the bluntly rounded snout for a distance (taken axially) equal to } diameter of pupil; cleft of the mouth moderately oblique, the maxillary reaching vertical from middle of pupil; length of maxillary (measured from front of premaxillaries) 34 in head; mandible with a broad band of villiform teeth of uniform size; premaxillaries with a similar broad villiform band, preceded by an outer series of small canines, close- set, smaller in size than in related species; preorbital of moderate width, swollen and turgid as in Pachyurus, its width 64 in head; posterior nostril large, circular, without trace of raised membranous edge; anterior nos- tril vertically elliptical, small, and with raised margin; preopercular margin with 14 to 16 spinous teeth (in the type specimen), the upper ones minute, increasing in size toward preopercular angle, around which they evenly radiate, none conspicuously enlarged, and the lowermost not directed abruptly downward. Gill rakers short, the longest about equal- ing diameter of posterior nostril, 7 movable ones on upper limb of arch, 13 below. First dorsal high, of very slender flexible spines, except the first two; second spine strong and rigid, as long as the fourth, contained 1 times in the head; third spine the longest, reaching when declined to base of first ray of second dorsal, its length 1? in head; from the third, the spines decrease rapidly, so that the distal margin of the fin is sub- vertical; the tenth spine shortest, its membrane reaching base only of the eleventh, which belongs to second dorsal and is } diameter of the eye; sec- ond dorsal high, the longest ray equaling length of snout and eye; caudal sublanceolate, mutilated so that its exact shape can not be ascertained; middle rays considerably longer than the outer, and at least ? length of head; second anal spine long and strong, its length 13 in head, slightly greater than that of first soft ray which, however, projects beyond it; outer ventral ray produced in a very short filament, about + diameter of eye; ventral spine 2? in head, the longest ray, exclusive of filament, 14 in head, reaching ? distance from their base to vent; pectorals 14 in head, reaching a vertical from tips of ventrals. Lips, branchioste- gals, gular membranes, and under side of snout naked, head and body otherwise scaled; scales on mandible and those in advance of nostrils cycloid or those on top of snout very weakly ctenoid, scales otherwise strongly ctenoid; second dorsal and anal with a definite low scaly sheath at base consisting of a single series of small scales, and, in addition, series of scales on the membranes extending % distance to tip. Caudal scaled to tip; lateral line with a long low curve, the height of which equals 4 diame- ter of orbit. Color steel gray above, without dark streaks, white below, the cheeks and lower portion of sides with much brown specking, some- times confined to the margins of the scales; mouth white within; lining of opercles blackish; fins dusky, the distal part of ventrals black, the outer ray white; anal with the anterior rays tipped with black. A single speci- men, about 8 inches long. Panama. ‘This species is closely related to O. scierus, but differs in the longer, less compressed body, the plain colora- tion, the turgid preorbitals, less arched lateral line, and smaller teeth. (Gilbert.) (A diminutive of simus, snub-nosed. ) Ophioscion simulus, GILBERT MS., Fishes of Panama 1898, Panama (Coll. C. H. Gilbert.) Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1451 1833. OPHIOSCION IMICEPS (Jordan & Gilbert). Head 33; depth 3. D. XI-I, 25; A. II, 8; scales 5-51-9; eye longer than snout, 44 in head. Body deep and compressed, the back considerably ele- vated, the caudal peduncle short and deep; head very small, narrow, and low; the snout bluntly pointed, the profile from the nostrils to the inter- orbital region not steep, thence rising steeply with a considerable curve to the base of the dorsal; depth of the head at the middle of the eye equal to the length of the snout and eye, and about equal to the greatest thickness of the head; interorbital space narrow, little convex, little wider than eye, 4 in head, about equal to length of snout; preorbital wide, gibbous; preopercle somewhat cavernous; mouth small, inferior, horizontal, the lower jaw much overlapped by the snout, its tip extend- ing little forward of the nostrils; maxillary extending to opposite middle of eye; premaxillary in front, far below level of lower edge of eye; length of gape 3% in head; teeth very small, in narrow villiform bands in both jaws, the outer row in the upper jaw enlarged. Preopercle armed with strong radiating teeth, about 3 near the angle larger than the others, none of them directed downward. Chin with 2 large pores, preceded by 2 smaller ones, and without symphyseal knob. Pseudo- branchie small. Gill rakers (as in Ophioscion typicus) minute, slender, not longer than nostril. Scales roughish; lateral line strongly curved, becoming straight opposite middle of anal fin. Spinous dorsal rather high, the spines not very slender, the second spine a little stronger than the others, 24 in head, the highest spine 1} in head, considerably higher than the soft rays; soft dorsal and anal fins scaled a little more than half- wayup. Caudal double truncate, the middle rays moderately produced, the upper angle acute, the lower rounded; middle rays of caudal 12 in head; anal inserted nearly under the middle of the soft dorsal, the distance from the first ray to base of caudal 3} in length of body; second anal spine shortish, but rather strong, somewhat shorter than the first soft ray, its length considerably greater than its distance from the vent and equal to + the length of the head; ventrals small, reaching about halfway to anal, not to tip of pectorals, which are long, scarcely shorter than head. Color dull brown above; belly white, but not silvery; upper fins brown, the spinous dorsal dusky at tip; anal dusky, thickly studded with dark points; ventrals and pectorals dusky; a faint band of dark points from base of pectoral straight to caudal, bounding the dark color of the upper parts; peritoneum white; lining of opercles partly black. Three speci- mens of this species, each 6} inches in length, were taken in the Bay of Panama. It resembles the species of Stellifer, and it has real affinities with that group. The head is, however, different, being low and narrow, and little cavernous, while the gill rakers are very short, as in the other species referred to Ophioscion. (imus, lowest; ceps, head.) Sciena imiceps, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 1881, 309, Bay of Panama (Types, Nos, 29432, 29481, 29489. Coll.C. H. Gilbert); JORDAN & EIGENMANN, 1. c., 404. 1452 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 1834. OPHIOSCION SCIERUS (Jordan & Gilbert). Head 32 (4 in total); depth 3 to 34; eye 54in head. D. X-I, 24; A. II 7; scales 6-50 to 55-12. Body oblong, the caudal pedunele slender, the back moderately elevated; snout rather acute, projecting moderately beyond the premaxillaries, its length 3; in head; anterior profile slightly concave above eye, thence from nape to dorsal steep and rather strongly convex; mouth of moderate size, little oblique, subinferior, the maxillary extending to rather beyond the posterior margin of pupil, its length 35 in head. Teeth in the lower jaw in a rather broad villiform band, the outer teeth not enlarged, similar to the inner teeth; outer teeth of upper jaw moderately enlarged. Interorbital space rather narrow, gently con- vex, its width 5} in head. Cranium not spongy to the touch; preopercle rather coarsely serrate, the teeth near the angle largest, none of them directed forward. Gill rakers thickish, extremely short and small, the longest not longer than nostril. Seales rather small, the soft dorsal and anal well scaled. Dorsal spines rather slender and low, the second much stouter than the third, which is longest, 2 in head; longest soft ray of dorsal 22 in head; caudal fin irregularly double truncate, the median rays longest, 1? in head, the upper angle not produced; longest soft rays of anal about $ head; second anal spine robust, rather long, 1? in head; pectorals reaching past tips of ventrals, 1; in head; ventrals 1}. Color steel gray above, dull silvery below, everywhere much soiled with dark brown points; center of each scale dark brown; these dark spots confluent in narrow but distinct dark stripes, which follow the direction of the rows of scales; streaks above lateral line anteriorly running ob- liquely upward and backward; below lateral line horizontal posteriorly and somewhat undulating; fins plain; the edge of the spinous dorsal and the whole of the anal and ventrals blackish; other fins paler. Pacific coast of tropical America from Mazatlan to Panama; one of the most abundant of the Sciwnoid fishes on the west coast of Mexico. Here described from No. 29490, 9 inches long, from Panama. (6%xzépos, dusky.) Sciena vermicularis, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. 1881, 315 (not Corvina vermicularis, GUNTHER). Sciena sciera, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1884, 480, Mazatlan; Panama (Types, Nos. 28385, 29229, 29269, 29275, 29337, 29638, 29490, 291499. Coll. C. H. Gilbert) : JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 404, 1889. Subgenus SIGMURUS, Gilbert. 1835. OPHIOSCION VERMICULARIS (Ginther). Head 34; depth 3. D. X-I, 27; A. II, 8; orbit 5 in head; snout 33; max- illary 3; highest dorsal spine 128; dorsal ray 4; second anal spine 25; length of caudal fin 13; ventrals 13; pectorals 14. Body robust, deep; the back considerably elevated; ventral outline rounded. Head somewhat compressed; profile steep, a little concave over the head; mouth oblique; premaxillaries below level of the eye; maxillary reaching to the vertical from middle of pupil; lower jaw included; teeth on jaws unequal, an outside series of larger ones being present, besides those of the villiform Jordan and Evermann,—Fishes of North America, 1453 band; snout obtuse, longer than the eye, projecting a little beyond the premaxillaries; slits and pores on snout large; anterior nostril with a dermal flap; interorbital space about 4 in head; preorbital broad, about 7 in head; preopercle with wide-set spinous teeth on posterior margin; gill rakers 6-+ 11, short, some of them rudimentary; pseudobranchie well developed. Dorsal spines not very strong, the third longest, reaching, when depressed, beyond tip of the eighth; soft dorsal lower than spinous, the fin with a scaly sheath at its base, its membranes covered with small scales; base of anal 3 in head, the third spine very strong, not reaching tip of the longest rays; upper lobe of caudal produced, acute, the lower lobe rounded; ventrals filiform at tip, almost the same length as pectorals. Lateral line arched anteriorly, becoming straight over middle of the base of anal fin; about 59 scales in the lateral line; 6 scales in the vertical series between lateral line and back, 15 in the vertical series below lateral line. Panama; known from the original type and from five specimens lately taken by Dr. Gilbert, from which the present description is taken. (vermicularis, marked with worm tracks. ) Corvina vermicularis, GUNTHER, Fish. Central America, 387 and 427, pl. 67, fig. 2, 1869, Panama. (Coll. Capt. Dow.) Sciena vermicularis, JORDAN, Proc. U. 8S. Nat. Mus. 1885, 381; JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l.c., 404, 1889. 583. SCIZENOPS, Gill. (RED DRuMs.) Sciceenops, GILL, Proce. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1863, 30 (ocellata). This genus is close to Ophioscion, from which it differs in the loss of its preopercular armature with age, the serrate edge of the bone becoming entire. The candal fin is truncate or concave, the soft dorsal scaleless; the slits and pores of the upper jaw are well developed and the single species reaches a very large size. The group is not well separated from Ophioscion on the one hand, or from Sciena on the other, but its retention seems to beconvenient. (Gx1a/va, Sciwna, the ancient name of the Kuropean species Sciena umbra and Pseudosciena aquila, from 6x1d, shade; wy, appearence.) 1836. SCLENOPS OCELLATUS (Linnzus). (RED DRUM; CHANNEL Bass; ‘‘ RED-FISH;’’ PESCADO COLORADO; BULL RED-FISH.) Head 33; depth 34; eye 7 in head; snout 4. D. X-I, 24; A. II,8; scales 4-45 to 50-12. Body elongate, rather robust, not much compressed; back somewhat arched; profile rather steep, somewhat convex; head long, rather low; eye small; snout bluntish, rather long. Preopercle with its bony margin sharply serrate in young examples, becoming entire with age, the serre entirely disappearing in specimens of 20 to 30 pounds weight; in these the even edge of the bone is wholly covered by skin; mouth large, nearly horizontal; maxillary not quite reaching posterior border of orbit, 24 in head; teeth in both jaws in villiform bands, the outer series of the upper jaw much enlarged; lower teeth subequal; gill 1454 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. rakers 5 + 7, shorter than the diameter of the pupil; longest dorsal spine 24 in head; second anal spine 1? in the longest ray, 5? in head; pectorals as long as ventrals, 2 in head; scales of the breast embedded, cycloid; soft dorsal scaleless; caudal fin slightly concave, about 4 as long as head. Color grayish silvery, iridescent; often washed with coppery red; each scale with a center of dark points, these forming rather obscure, irregular, undulating brown stripes along the rows of scales; a jet-black ocellated spot about as large as eye at base of caudal above, this some- times duplicated; the body occasionally covered with ocelli. Length 2 to 5 feet; the weight 10 to 75 pounds. South Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, New York to Texas; very common along our coast, especially southward, where it is one of the largest and most important food-fishes. On the Texas coast it exceeds in economic value all other fishes found there. (ocellatus, having eye-like spots.) Perea ocellata, LINNXUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. x11, 483, 1766, South Carolina. Lutjanus triangulum, LACEPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., ty, 181 and 216, pl. 24, fig. 3, 1802, Sumatra. Sciena imberbis, MITcHILL, Trans. Lit. & Phil. Soc. New York 1815, 411, New York. Corvina ocellata, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 134, pl. 108, 1830. Johnius ocellatus, GIRARD, U.S. & Mex. Bound. Survey, 14, pl. 8, figs. 1-4, 1859. Scieena ocellata, GUNTHER, Cat., I, 289, 1860; JORDAN & EIGENMANN, l. c., 405, pl. 4, 1889. 584. SCIZENA®* (Artedi) Linneus. (BLack DRUMS.) Scicena, part, ARTEDI, Genera Piscium 1738. Scieena, LinNmus, Systema Nature, Ed. x, 289, 1758 (wmbra; cirrosa). “It is very difficult to draw generic distinctions in this part of the group of Sciceenide It is likewise unsatisfactory not to attempt to draw them, as large groups scarcely admit of definition. We have decided to admit provisionally as genera the minor groups of Scienide with long gill rakers, allied to Stellifer and Bairdiella. Among those with short gill rakers, we have chosen to recognize Ophioscion, Scicenops, and Pseudosciena, referring the rest to one genus Sciena, a heterogeneous group which runs ciose to Ophioscion on the one hand, and diverges far from it onthe other. Jordan and Eigenmann observe: We are compelled to place in a single genus the great bulk of those Scie@nide which have short gill rakers, inferior mouth, and no barbels on the lower jaw. In spite of the marked differences between the extremes of the series, the intergradation in char- acters is so perfect that we are unable to draw any sharp distinctive lines among them. This is especially true when the Asiatic species, forming the groups called Bola and Johnius, are taken into account. It is also true that one of the species of Bairdiella (chrysoleuca) is very close to some of the members of the present group. In this case, however, there is really one difference—the length of the gill rakers, which, though small, is constant, and holds good in all the known species. With a view to the discovery of a basis for generic subdivision, we have especially compared the following species: Sciwna (Seicenops) ocellata, Sciena (Pseudosciena) ayuila, Scicena (Bola) diacantha, and Sciena (Callaus) deliciosa. If these species could be satisfactorily arranged in different genera, it would be comparatively easy to find characters on which to detach the rather more aberrant types of Sciena (umbra), Cheilotrema (saturna and fasciata), Ophioscion, and Johnius. The 4 species first mentioned agree in the position of the anal fin. Its second spine is very weak in aquila, and adnate to the first ray. It is somewhat so in the others, and it is not large inany. In Johnius (dusswmieri) it is also small, but in Seicena, Cheilotrema, and Ophioscion it is considerably enlarged. The seales are smallest in aquila, largest in ocellata, but the difference is not sharp enough to warrant generic division. In all 4 of the species first mentioned the pre- orbital is fat and rather broad, broadest in deliciosa (7 in head) and narrowest in aquila (104). In the other forms it is generally still broader and more gibbous. The slits and pores about the snout are distinct in ocellata and deliciosa, little marked in diacantha and nearly or quite obsolete in aquila. In Johnius, Scieena, Cheilotrema and Ophioscion these are more or less distinct. In all the 4 species the mouth is of moderate size, slightly oblique, with the lower jaw included, the maxillary reaching to opposite the posterior border of the eye. The mouth is largest in ocellata, smallest in aquila. In all the others (Ophioscion, etc.) the mouth is Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 1455 Johnius,* BLocH, Ichthyologia, x, 107, 1793 (carutta, etc., restricted by Dr. Gill to carutta.) Sciena, CUVIER, Régne Animal, Ed. 1, 297, 1817 (restricted to Sciwna wmbra, a Linnean species, and to Sciena aquila, a non-Linnzan one) (not of Régne Animal, Ed. 11, which is Pseudoscieena, Bloch; type, aquila). Bola, FRANCIS HAMILTON, Fishes of the Ganges 1822 (cottor, etc.). OCorvina, CuviER, Régne Animal, Ed. 11, Vol. 2, 1829 (nigra—umbra). Cheilotrema, TscHup!I, Fauna Peruana, Fische, 13, 1845 (fasciatwm). Rhinoscion, Giuu, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1861, 85 (satwrnus). Callaus, JORDAN, Review Scinide, 395, 1889 (deliciosus). Body oblong, the back more or less elevated and compressed ; mouth low, rather small; the snout with conspicuous slits and pores, the lower jaw included; teeth in bands in both jaws, the outer enlarged above; pre- opercle with a crenulate membranaceous edge, but without bony serrie in young or old; gill rakers short and thick, rather few; lower pharyngeals moderate, separate, with bluntish teeth; soft dorsal long, anal short; caudal fin various; second anal spine various. Species very numerous, varying greatly among themselves, mostly belonging to the Old World. (Sciana, the ancient name of Sciena umbra; from 67a, shade.) CALLAUS (Callao, Peru) : a. Second anal spine small and slender, 4} in head; body compressed; teeth of lower jaw unequal; gill rakers slender; dorsal and anal scaled at base only; depth 3. D. X-I, 23. Color silvery. DELICIOSA, 1837. aa. Second anal spine long and stout, 2 to 3in head; back elevated; mouth small. Color dusky. CHEILOTREMA (xétAos, lip; tpyua, pore): b. Vertical fins low, the membranes of dorsal and anal closely scaled; caudal fin lunate, the upper lobe the longer. e. Dorsal rays X-I, 27 or 28; snout moderately blunt. SATURNA, 1838. Subgenus CALLAUS, Jordan. 1837. SCLENA DELICIOSA (Tschudi). Head 3; depth 3;4;; eye5}in head; snout4}. D.X-I, 23; A.II,9; scales 50. Head and body compressed, the back arched, the outline oblong-ellip- tical; profile straightish, rather steep; snout bluntish; eye rather large, as wide as the broad preorbital; slits and pores on snout anteriorly well still smaller. The upper teeth are nearly alike in all of these; of the 4 mentioned they are largest in diacantha, smallest in deliciosa. In some East Indian species (referable to Bola?) these teeth are still larger, some of them almost canine-like. The lower teeth are rather large, and chiefly uniserial in diacantha and other species of Bola, in 2 or 3 rows, the inner enlarged in deliciosa and aquila; in a broad band, some of the inner enlarged in ocellata. In Johnius, Cheilotrema, Sciena, and most of the species of Ophioscion, the lower teeth are in a broad band and equal. The preopercle is sharply serrate in youth, becoming entire with age in ocellata. In aquila itis vaguely crenulate in youth, becoming finally entire. In diacantha it remains more or less crenulate. In deliciosa the preopercle is edged by fine flexible serre. In Ophioscion the preopercle is always sharply serrate. In Sciena, Cheilotrema, and Johnius it is always entire, or at least without bony serratures. Among the 4 species first mentioned, the gill rakers are smallest in diacantha (X 4-7), when they are short and thick, the longest not } the pupil. They are longest in deli- ciosa; when they are slender (# +12), as long as pupil. In aqwila and ocellata they are X +8 or 9, rather slender and short, about 2 length of pupil. In most of the species of the other groups (Ophioscion, etc.) they are very few, short and thickish, usually not more than 4 the length of the pupil. The form of the body orfers nothing which can be used for generic distinction, as the intergradations are very perfect. ‘The same can be said of the form and the squamation of the fins. In the present paper we have withdrawn Ophioscion, Sciwnops, and Pseudosciena, referring the other forms to Scicna. * Named for John, an early missionary in Tranquebar. 1456 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. developed; maxillary extending to middle of pupil, 3} in head; mouth rather large, a little oblique, the lower jaw slightly included; preopercle finely and evenly serrate, the serre flexible and not bony; gill rakers slender and very short, scarcely as long as pupil, «+12 in number; teeth in moderate bands, some of the outer moderately enlarged above, some of the inner ones below, these smaller than those of the upper jaw; soft dorsal and anal scaled at base only; dorsal spines moderate; second anal spine small, 44 in head. Caudal lunate, its upper lobe the longer; pectoral long, 14 in head; color bluish above with faint dark horizontal streaks, following the rows of scales; axil dark; fins pale. Pacific coast of South America, from Panamato Peru. Said to be one of the most abundant food- fishes on the coast of Peru. Most of the specimens examined are from Callao, but a few from Panama. (deliciosus, delicious. ) Corvina deliciosa, TScHUDI, Fauna Peruana Ichth., 8, 1845, Peru. Sciena deliciosa, GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 295, 1860; JORDAN & EIGENMANN, Ll. c., 406, 1889. Subgenus CHEILOTREMA, Tschudi. 1838. SCLENA SATURNA* (Girard). (RED RONCADOR; BLACK CROAKER.) Head 32; depth 23; eye4to5in head. D. X-I, 27; A. II, 7; scales 10-55 to 60-17. Vertical fins low, much lower than in Sciena wmbra, the mem- branes of the dorsal and anal closely scaled; caudal fin lunate, the upper lobe the longer; snout moderately blunt, much less obtuse than the related Peruvian species Sciwna fasciata, 3} in head; body oblong, the back con- siderably elevated; profile steep, the nape convex; preorbital broad, nearly as wide as eye; teeth as in Sciwna umbra, the bands broader; pharyngeal teeth all conic, the inner series more or less enlarged; gill rakers short, thick, 6+ 9; dorsal spines gradually shortened behind the third, which is 2to24in head; ventralsshort, 14in head; middle rays of soft dorsal longest, 23 in head; second anal spine long and stout, 2 to 24 in head, not quite reaching to tip of last ray; first anal rays scarcely elongate, about 2 in head; pectorals broad, 14 to 14 in head; allscales of head strongly ctenoid ; a scaly sheath at base of anal and soft dorsal; caudal slightly convex, its middle rays longest. Color blackish, with coppery luster, each scale with a cluster of dark points; an obscure, broad, pale cross band extending down- ward from front of soft dorsal to tips of ventrals, this often fading with age; fins rather dark, belly silvery, dusted with dark specks; suborbital region coppery, with round, dark dots; membrane ubout angle of opercle jet black; tips of ventral and anal black. Coast of Southern California, from Santa Barbara to Cerros Island. -shaped, its arch not narrowed behind. Pectoral reaching to slightly above origin of anal, 23 in body; ventrals very small, 4 length head. Vent about midway between ventral and anal origin, tlte second dorsal beginning nearly ever tip of pectoral; first dorsal entirely buried in the skin, its short, stiffish spines to be found only by dissection. Color light chocolate brown above, with minute spots of dark; whitish below; a pale stripe from eye downward and forward, between 2 dark ones; body with 3 very irregular dark cross bands, the third extending on dorsal and anal, the first 2 largely confluent and all very irregular in form; an oblique dark band on base of caudal. a narrow dark band behind it; pectoral with 2 or 3 cross bands; all fins, except the ventral, with traces of bands. Length 24 inches. A speci- men, 50 mm long, taken by the Albatross off St. Paul Island, Bering Sea, in 1896, shows the following characters: Head 23; depth 3. D.IX,15; A. 13; P.19; eye 4 in head; width of mouth, from angle to angle, 14; snout 31; interorbital 34. Body short, broad, thick, tadpole shape, the texture soft like that of a Liparid, especially about the head; the skin is limp and smooth, covered with little soft dermal warts, that of head especially lax, the cheeks tumid and translucent. No trace of spines on head, the bones all thin and weak; nostrils each in a short tube; mouth broad, its cleft chiefly anterior, the jaws equal; teeth very minute, none on vomer or palatines; lower jaw with 8 large open pores. Gill membranes broadly united to the isthmus, the gill opening extending to slightly below base of pectoral. Lateral line obsolete. Dorsals united, with a slight notch between, the first buried in a ridge of skin so that its deli- cate spines can not be counted from without; second dorsal low, similar to anal, both of them free from the caudal; lower pectoral rays pro- eressively shortened, the longest 15 in head; ventrals moderate, I, 3, reaching vent, 24 in head; caudal rounded. Color creamy white, with blackish cross bands, irregular in form and broken by whitish patches; 5 black spots on lower jaw; top of head blackish; a narrow blotch at shoulder; a wider one across first dorsal; a broad one on second dorsal abruptly broadened on body, then narrowed, extending across anal; an irregular bar at base of caudal; a narrow bar and some spots and stréaks on the fin; pectoral with 2 curved bars, the inner concave, the outer convex backward, the two inclosing a rounded pinkish or deep orange area. Alaska to Puget Sound, rather common in water of moderate depth; a remarkable little fish, evidently a degraded Cottoid. Here described Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2027 from specimens from Unalaska. This species is taken abundantly in shal- low water about Kadiak south of the Alaskan Peninsula, thence westward through Unimak Pass, along the northern shore of Unalaska Island to the Kuril Islands, and the Pribilof Islands and in Bristol Bay. The depths range from 38 to 121 fathoms. (zapcaéo€éos, unaccountable. ) Psychrolutes paradoxus,* GUNTHER, Cat., 111, 516, 1861, Gulf of Georgia, Vancouver Island (Coll. H. M.S. Plumper); JORDAN & GILBERT Synopsis, 687, 1883. Psychrolutes zebra, BEAN, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1890, 43, Aleutian Islands, between Unga and Nagai Islands, at Albatross Station 2848, 55° 10’ N., 160° 18’ W., in 110 fathoms; JORDAN & STARKS, Proce, Cal, Ac. Sci, 1895, 811, pl. 85; GILBERT, Rept. U.S, Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 410. . 757- GILBERTINA, Jordan & Starks. Gilbertina, JORDAN & STARKS, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 810 (sigolutes). This genus differs from Psychrolutes chiefly in the long continuous dorsal and anal, the former having 24 rays, the latter 14. Anterior rays of spi- nous dorsal not bound down by skin of the body, the first apparent ray being nearly above gill opening. Skull extremely soft and cavernous, the long oblique lower jaw especially so. (Named for Dr. Charles Henry Guil- bert, ‘who has contributed more than anyone else to our knowledge of the fishes of the North Pacific.’’) * The following is the original description of Psychrolutes paradowus, Giinther : “ Branchiostegals 7; D.9; A.9; C.12; V.2. Head large, not quite so high as broad, its length being 7 of the total. The snoutis obtuse, although considerably longer than the eye, reunded, with the upper profile steeper than the lewer. The cleft of the mouth is oblique, of moderate width with the jaws equal anteriorly; a narrow band of minute teeth in the jaws; the palate appears to be smooth. The maxillary, which is widened at its posterior extremity, extends to below the middle of the eye. The nostril is situated very near to the extremity of the snout, and provided with a very short tentacle. The eye is imme- diately below the upper profile; its diameter is about? of the length of the head, 4 of that of the snout, and nearly 4 of the width of the interorbital space. The infraorbital emits a slender process across the cheek, which, however, does not reach to the preopercular margin. None of the opercles are armed; the operculum alone is produced into a flexible short posterior process; the gill opening commences above that process, and is not contin- uous with that of the other side, the gill membranes being attached to the isthmus. The branchiostegals are exceedingly slender, 7 in number. The body is subeylindrical ante- riorly and compressed posteriorly; its greatest depth, behind the head, is } of the total length; the skin is perfectly smooth and rather loose. The pectoral is pointed, the upper rays being the longest and extending nearly to the dorsal; the ventrals rather short, close together, situated below the middle of the base of the pectoral, and composed of 2 rays, the inner of which is bifid. Dorsal and anal fins opposite each other, situated far back- ward on the tail, terminating at some distance from the caudal, and nearly entirely en- veloped in skin. Caudal slightly rounded, of moderate length. The vent is situated about midway between the root of the ventral and the origin of the anal. The upper parts are brownish gray, minutely dotted with black, and with 2 very large deep brown blotches of irregular size. The caudal and pectoral fins are dotted and spotted with black. Lines. Total length ......... eafemteietneiniia seam neeieisacine asa sits ace ns 21 ben eno ined renee see eects Me eae Se ee eee enc CA aenereteS 6 ifershtnvoh theo diver. -\ seen 2 ae crsce oe sie be cece ence sce = 4 “This fish resembles in its general habit somewhat the genius Liparis. Gulf of Georgia (Vancouver Island), voyage of H. M.S. Plwinper.” Dr. Boulenger says, October 24, 1895: ‘‘I have examined the type of Psychrolutes para- doxus. I count 12 soft rays, the anterior embedded in the thick skin, so that Dr. Giinther’s statement is to be accounted for. But there are no spines.”’ Later Dr. Boulenger writes us that he has compared Dr. Giinther’s type with the figure of Psychrolutes zebra, published by Jordan & Starks, and finds that it agrees fully with the latter. There is, therefore, little doubt that the species zebra is identical with paradoxus. 2028 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, 2396. GILBERTINA SIGOLUTES, Jordan & Starks. Head 3; depth 4. D. VIII, 18; A. 14; eye 44 in head; interorbital 24; maxillary 2!; ventrals 2; pectorals 1; caudal 2+; base of dorsal 13 in length of body; base of anal 3. Body rather slender, robust anteri- orly, compressed posteriorly, the greatest breadth and depth at shoulders. Head large, the nape slightly produced; mouth large and broadly rounded, oblique, the jaws about equal, maxillary extending to posterior margin of eye, its end buried under the skin of the cheek; eyes placed high, the interorbital space very wide and slightly convex, its width about 13 times that of the eye; the posterior end of mandible very prominent, mandible N-shaped, its rami approaching each other posteriorly; bones of head cavernous, largely made up of cartilage, the mandible especially so; an- terior end of preorbital forming a blunt spine over mouth; process of premaxillary prominent; a couple of blunt projections behind each eye ; upper part of shoulder girdle projecting, forming a blunt spine on nape above gill slit, a row of large pores around suborbital ring, and along under part of mandible no opercular spines. Head and body covered with a very loose, naked, movable skin. Dorsal fin continuous, no notch between spines and soft rays, the spines very slender, the first one inserted over end of opercular flap; dorsal spines covered by skin, but even the first visible without dissection as they rise above the general integument of body, the last reaching to base of caudal fin; anal lower than dorsal, its origin midway between base of caudal fin and posterior margin of eye, ending at about the same vertical that dorsal does, but not reaching so far; pectorals long and slender, reaching past front of anal and over halfway between their bases and base of caudal fin, adnate to the body for the anterior third or fourth of their length; ventrals long, not quite reaching to vent, adnate to the body for + their length; caudal fin rounded. Color, light olivaceous; body and head with innumerable dark points, giving the fish a dusky appearance; large dark blotch across body at the posterior ends of dorsal and anal, a similar spot under pec- toral; head uniform dusky, lighter below; belly white; middle of pectoral dark; dorsals dark ; lower fins white. Puget Sound; known from a single small specimen 1} inches inlength. (677, quiet; Aovrys, bather.) Gilbertina sigolutes,* JORDAN & STARKS, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 811, pl. 86, Point Orchard, near Seattle. (ype, No. 3129, L.S.Jr. Univ. Mus. Coll. Edwin C. Starks.) Nore.—Remotely allied to the Cottide is the Old World family Platycephalide, charac- terized by the greatly depressed head and body. Its principal genus is characterized as follows: . PLATYCEPHALUS, Bloch & Schneider. Platycephalus, BLocH & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 58, 1801 (scaber). Head broad, very depressed, more or less armed with spines; body depressed anteriorly, subcylindrical posteriorly, covered with ctenoid scales. Lateral line present. Two dor- sal fins, the first spine isolated from the others. Ventrals thoracic, but rather remote trom the root of the pectorals; no pectoral appendages. Jaws, vomer, and palatine bones with bands of villiform teeth. Air bladder none; pyloric appendages in moderate num- bers. Polynesia and the Australian seas, through all the Indian seas to the eastern coast of Africa. (Giinther.) Two species of this genus have been described from American waters, in both cases apparently by error, as no American ichthyologist has found any specimens of either. (mAatvs, broad; Kepad7, head.) ‘ Misprinted sigalutes in the orignal description. Jordan and Evermann,.—Fishes of North America, 2029 The following are the species in question: Platycephalus americanus, SAUVAGE, Nouy. Archiv. Mus., 148, pl. 14, fig. 3, 1878, Potomac River. This specimen, of course, never came from the Potomac River. The following is the substance of Sauvage’s description: Head nearly 34; width of head nearly 2 in its length. No spines at end of snout; a strong spine before eye; rim of orbit armed with spines directed backward, those in front smaller; ridges of vertex slightly prominent, with few spines; cheek with 4 or 5 strong spines; edge of opercle soft; preopercle with 2 spines, the upper alittle the longer, about half space between it and eye; maxillary reaching mid- dle of eye; snout 2 in eye; lateral line spiny throughout its whole length; second dorsal spine shorter than third, as long as maxillary. Ventrals inserted far from anal; pectoral a little shorter than snout and eye. Body reddish, deep red at caudal peduncle; second dorsal and anal with 2 oblique bands of yellowish; pectoral with similar band. Platycephalus angustus, STEINDACHNER, Sitzgber. Akad. Wiss. Wien 1866, 213, taf. 1, fig. 4, Surinam. This specimen may not have come from Surinam. The following is the substance of Steindachner’s description: Head 33; breadth of head 1! in its length. D.I-VIII, 13; A.13; scales 108. Eye 7, somewhat greater than breadth of forehead. Caudal with 3 deep, blackish-brown, lengthwise stripes; body with small spots and some larger light- brown spots; 3 brown cross bands on posterior half of body. Numerous little raised ridges on preorbital rim, and a short spine; no tentacles; 2 spines on preopercle, the lower 2 eye. Greatest height of first dorsal 4 of second or 8, of head, Caudal rounded. Family CLXXX. RHAMPHOCOTTID2. Body short, elevated. Head very large, its greatest depth greater than that of the body; skull with 2 strong bony ridges from above the front of the eye, continuous with 2 large occipital ridges, leaving the interorbital space and middle line of the top of the head strongly concave; snout slender, narrow, and abruptly protruding; mouth very narrow, M-shaped, its gape longer than wide; teeth villiform, none on the yvomer or pala- tines; gill opening confined to the region above the base of the pectorals, the membranes below completely united to the shoulder girdle and isth- mus; apparently no slit behind last gill; a stout, straight, preopercular spine; nasal spines present; no other spines on head. Skin everywhere on head and body firm, immovable, densely covered with stiff, bifid or trifid spinous prickles; spinous dorsal very small; pectoral with pro- current base. North Pacific; a single species known; a small shore fish. The following account of the skeleton of Rhamphocottus is given by Mr. Starks: The posterior end of the prominent midge, which runs backward from the superior orbital rim on each side, is formed by the epiotic pro- cess. It ends in the form of a long ‘occipital spine;” almost directly under it is the short parotie process. The post-temporalis short, wide, and flat; its upper end is attached to the inner side of the epiotic spine, and for the whole length of its anterior edge, to the skull between the epiotie and parotic processes. Irom its lower inner surface it sends a wide, thin bone, which is firmly fastened to the base of the skull. It bears a back- ward projecting spine on its lower end, inside of which the supraclavicle is attached. Actinosts large, wide and thin, without an opening between them. Subopercle absent; preopercle large, sending a spine backward; opercle triangular on its lower inner angle; the interopercle is developed and strongly coossified with it; it sends a slender process forward under the preopercle; a projection downward from the posterior end of the articular; suborbital wide, thin, and concayvo-convex, its convex surface outward. Skull without basal chamber; vertebrie 10+ 14. 203 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 758. RHAMPHOCOTTUS, Giinther. Rhamphocottus, Giinther, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., x1v, 1874, 370 (richardsoni). Characters of the genus included above. (Acjedos, snout; Cottus.) 2397. RHAMPHOCOTTUS RICHARDSONI, Ginther. Head 2; depth 2. D. VII, 13; A. 6; P. 14; orbit 6 in head; maxillary 4; snout 3; highest dorsal spine 64; dorsal ray 4; anal ray 4; pectoral 21; ventral 2; caudal 3; vertebra: 10+ 14—24. Body short, compressed, the back elevated, its greatest depth just in front of spinous dorsal. Head large, as long as rest of body; snout long and narrow; mouth U-shaped, its gape longer than wide; lips thick, their surface broken up into papille ; maxillary reaching the nasal spine; lower jaw included; teeth in villi- form bands on jaws and yomer, none on palatines; eye placed high, its diameter contained twice in the snout, 14 in the interorbital; a branched dermal flap, as long as pupil, at tip of snout; head with 2 large bony ridges above, continuous with the orbital rim and ending in strong blunt spines at occiput; head deeply concave between these ridges; nasal spine sharp and recurved; a pair of strong spines over the eyes; a sharp spine just above opercle, a blunt one on opercle below flap, and a long sharp one at angle of preopercle, alow bony ridge leading to each of these spines; a long sharp spine on clavicle just behind gill opening; a blunt bony knob at posterior end of mandibles; gill openings extending upward from upper pectoral ray, their length equal to snout. Entire head and body covered with multipointed spines, those on head much smaller than the ones on sides, a few simple spines along cephalic ridges; the first dorsal spine covered with spines, and each dorsal ray with a row on its side; a few spines on the base of the pectoral and anal rays. Dorsal spines very weak, fitting in a groove in back; soft dorsal higher than spinous, the tips of the rays reaching base of caudal fin; anal short, few-rayed, reaching slightly beyond soft dorsal; pectorals pointed, their lower rays entirely free, reaching abont to base of third anal ray; ventrals reaching to ends of pectorals, their origin behind lower part of pectoral base a distance equal to length of snout; caudal rounded behind. Body creamy yellow, with conspicuous irregular dark stripes, edged with black, running obliquely across the body; similar stripes radiating from eye in all directions, 1 to end of snout, a triangular 1 downward, 1 running backward and downward to middle of preopercle, then turning upward and running nearly to occipital spine, 2 or 3 short ones above, each of these involving the membrane of eye; 2 or 3 black-bordered dark spots on edge of opercle; a light yellow streak surrounded by black across caudal peduncle, behind which all is bright cherry red to the end of cau- dal fin; 2 similar spots on base of pectoral; top of head crossed with wavy black-edged dark bars; top of lower jaw black, a line of black spots run- ning along under parts of mandible; fins all bright red, each ray of dorsal with a sharp black spot at its base, a few spots on dorsal spines; anal, pectorals, and ventrals dark at base. Here described from a specimen 3 Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2031 inches in length, collected in a rock pool on Channel Rocks, near Peint Orchard, Puget Sound, by Miss Adella M. Parker, of Seattle. North Pacitic, from Sitka to Monterey; scarce, but not infrequent in Puget Sound, at about 2 to 10 fathoms; a most singular fish. (Named for John Richardson, naturalist and explorer. ) Rhamphocottus richardsoni, GUNTHER, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., XIv, 1874, 370, Fort Rupert, Vancouver Island, British America; BEAN, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 252; JorpANn & GILBERT, Synopsis, 722, 1883; JoRDAN & STARKS, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 813, pl. 87. Family CLXXXI. AGONID.* (THE SEA POACHERS.) Body angular, commonly 8-angled, the caudal peduncle 6-angled, coy- ered with 8 to 12 longitudinal rows of imbricated, radially striated plates, the anterior edge of each plate overlying the posterior edge of the plate next in front of it; plates spinous or not. Teeth small, even, in villiform bands on jaws, and in most species on yvomer and palatines, sometimes wholly obsolete; gills 34, no slit behind the last; pseudobranchiz large, extending down the inner side of opercle; gill rakers small; gill mem- branes united, free, or joined to isthmus; ventral fins thoracic, narrow, their rays I, 2; vent usually close behind ventrals; spinous dorsal large, small, or absent; anal without spines; caudal rounded, about 3 times as long as wide at base, with 10 to 12 long rays; base of pectorals usually broad, the lower rays sometimes produced; all rays of all fins simple; branchiostegal rays 6; myodome (tube of recti muscles) with membra- naceous roof; basisphenoid absent; post-temporal not bifurcate, continu- ously articulated with epiotic and pterotic; pyloric cca few, about 4 to7; vertebrie numerous, 35 to 50. Fishes of the cold seas, living among rocks or kelp, most of them of small size and fantastic form, not valuable as food. Genera 20; species about 40. ‘The species are extremely varied, and must be placed in very many genera, or else reduced to a single one in each sub-family, The plates vary somewhat in number in all parts of the body in most if not all of the species, although not to the same extent in all the genera. Even the pattern on the breast, which is definite for the species of all the genera except Hippocephalus, varies in the ditferent individuals of the same species, so that it is probable that even where no variations are indicated by the numbers given in the following descriptions they would be found by comparing large numbers of individuals. The plates in the dorsal series vary from 1 to 3 in number in most species; they cor- respond closely with the number of vertebrie, there being usually 1 or 2 fewer of the former than of the latter. Itseems probabie that the vertebrie vary a little in number within the species, and the rings of plates cor- respond in number with them at least throughout most of the length of the body. There is no definite proof, though the balance of evidence seems to indicate, that the superior lateral series of plates in Aspidopho- roides, bearing the lateral line, corresponds with the median lateral series *The account of the Agonide is contributed by Mr. Frank Cramer, a graduate student in Leland Stanford Jr. University, some additions having been made by Jordan & Evermann. 2032 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, of plates of Agonus, etc. In the following descriptions of species, when the diameter of the eye is not specified, the longitudinal diameter is meant. The rays of the fins arise regularly in the intervals between the successive pairs of plates aiternating with them, and the membrane behind the last spine of the first dorsal fin ends at variable distances from the base of the spine; lence in giving the number of plates between the dorsals, the num- ber between the last spine and the first ray is meant, unless otherwise stated. ‘‘Length of body,” as the standard of measurement, means the length from tip of premaxillary to base of caudal, unless ‘‘total length” is mentioned. The rostral spines, whether 1 or 2 pairs, belong to the nasal bones, and are properly ‘‘nasal spines” in the species in which there is no free terminal plate. The latter, with its spines, may be the freed anterior part of the nasal bones. The hypural bone is included in the number of vertebrie, and these were counted in nearly all cases in only 1 individual. The young of several species have been described, some of them in detail, and so far as known they all differ from the adults in the same way. The spines and ridges are more prominent; the body is relatively shorter, its anterior end abruptly broader, forming with the head a more or less defi- nite rhombic figure; the tail is more compressed; the head is broader, the snout more blunt, and the lower jaw relatively longer; the vent lies far- ther back from the base of the ventral fins, and there are usually pairs of small plates between them; the dorsal and ventral series of plates on the tail, which are single in the adults of nearly all the species, are double in the young, or at least have the double row of serrations. Nearly all the species are found within the limits assigned to this work. The few not so found are included, for completeness’ sake, in footnotes. (I. C.) a. Spinous dorsal present. b. Gill membranes free from the isthmus. PERCIDINZE: c. Body compressed; lower jaw not projecting; plates of body spinous; first dorsal at nape. d. Body elongate; dorsals well separated. e. Teeth on vomer; no occipital spines or barbel on snout. PERCIS, 759. ee. No teeth on vomer; snout witha long barbel; occipital spines present. AGONOMALUS, 760. dd. Body short and high; dorsals close together; vomer without teeth; occipital spines present; lower rays of pectorals free. HYPSAGONUS, 761. BRACHYOPSIN: ce. Body more or less depressed; lower jaw projecting; plates of body spinous or not; first dorsal behind nape. f. Chin without terminal barbel. g. Snout short (not produced in form of atube); plates of body spinous. h. Bones of snout short, not forming a tubular nose. i. Vomer and palatines without teeth; breast simply prickly. STELLERINA, 762. ii. Vomer and palatines with some teeth; breast with large plates. OccA, 763. hh. Bones of snout produéed into a long tube which bears the short jaws at theend; body rather robust, the plates with spines. BRACHYOPSIS, 764. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2033 Jf. A long barbel at tip of chin; snout long (produced into form of a tube, as in Syngnathide); body subterete, very slender, its plates not spinous. PALLASINA, 765. AGONINZE: bb. Gill membranes joined to isthmus, with or without a narrow free fold behind. j. Tip of snout without free median plate or spine; mouth inferior, lower jaw short. k. Vomer without teeth. l. Lower side of snout with no barbels; one pair of spines on tip of snout. LEPTAGONUS, 766. UW. Lower side of snout with barbels. m. Gill membranes without barbels; a pair of complex barbels under tip of snout; 1 pair horizontal and 1 pair recurved spines at tip of snout. Lower jaw very weak; teeth feeble, sometimes wanting; plates of body mostly with spines. PoDOTHECUS, 767. mm. Gill membranes with scattered barbels. n. Plates of body without prominent spines; no preocular spines. AGONUS, 768. nn. Plates of body largely spinous; a pair of preocular spines. STELGIs, 769. kk. Vomer and, often, palatines with teeth. o. Dorsal fins rather long, the rays shortened behind, the last one attached by membrane tothe body; no large life-like spine above eye. p. Plates on body largely spinous; gill membranes with cirri, 1 or more on- each branchiostegal; teeth on palatines; lower jaw short beneath the long snout.* AVERRUNCUS, 770. pp. Plates on body largely unarmed; no teeth on palatines; gill membranes without cirri. SARRITOR, 771. oo. Dorsal fins rather short, the rays scarcely shortened behind, the last one not adnate by membrane behind; a large knife-like spine over each eye; plates on body largely spinous; no cirri on gill membranes. XYSTES, 772. jj. Tip of snout with a free terminal plate or spine; teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines. q. Occiput without distinct pit; 2 pairs of occipital spines; dorsal and anal well developed. r. Lower jaw strongly projecting; lower pectoral rays not much pro- duced; terminal rostral plate with 3 spines. BATHYAGONUS, 773. rr. Lower jaw not projecting; lower rays of pectorals much produced in aduits; anai fin short, of 6 or 8 rays. XENOCHIRUS, 774. qq. Occiput with a deep pit; occipital spines none, or reduced to mere traces; dorsal and anal very short. s. Body slender, elongate; tail not compressed. ODONTOPYXIS, 775- ss. Body short and broad in front; tail compressed teeth. BOTHRAGONUS, 776. ASPIDOPHOROIDINE : aa. Spinous dorsal absent; body not compressed, its plates not spinous; mouth small, terminal; gill membranes free from the isthmus. ASPIDOPHOROIDES, 777. 759. PERCIS,t Scopoli. Percis, SCOPOLI, Int. Hist. Nat., 454, 1777 (japonicus). Hippocephalus, SWAINSON, Nat. Hist. Fishes, ete., 1, 272, 1839 (swperciliosus). * Jaws subequal in Agonopsis, a South American genus very close to Averruncus. } Dr. Gill has called our attention to the identity of Percis with Hippocephalus. 2034. Lulletin 47, United States National Museum, Body moderately elongate, compressed throughout; back elevated be- hind nape; 2 rows of strong, curved spines along whole length of each side (spines of the other series smaller); first dorsal fin beginning behind nape; dorsals far apart; anal fin long. Vent far back from base of ven- trais. Head narrow anteriorly, abruptly broader behind; mouth terminal; median rostral plate none; nasals united in front of maxillary pedicles. Interorbital space broad, the supraocular ridges very prominent, with large, flat, triangular supraocular spine or shelf; no occipital spines. Teeth on jaws and vomer, none on palatines. Gill membranes united, free from isthmus. North Pacific. (aepxis, a synonym of zepxn, perch.) 2398. PERCIS JAPONICUS * (Pallas). Head 44; Br.6; D.VI,7; A.8; P. 12; V.3 (I,2); C.2-13-2. Body com- pressed throughout, the shoulder girdles prominent; width of body at base of pectorals a little more than greatest height and 5 in body length. Immediately behind pectorals the width a little less than greatest height; between dorsals and on peduncle it is nearly 2, and under second dorsal a little more than 2 in the height at the same points. Abdomen moderately swollen in front of vent. The back rises at an angle of 45° behind occi- put, slopes downward under first dorsal, leaving a hump under its front end, rises in front of second dorsal and slopes downward again under it; ventral outline nearly straight; vent between + and + distance from ven- trals to anal. Breast and area between ventrals and vent almost com- pletely occupied by nearly flat, radially striated plates, with slightly raised centers and of variable size, with innumerable, excessively minute plates scattered among them; vent surrounded by prickles. Plates of ventrolateral series small, beginning as distinct rows of spinous plates about opposite vent, with an imperfect row of smaller spinous plates be- tween them and the vent on each side, and converging toward anal. They pass along sides of anal, remain distinct to about the eighth pair of plates behind anal, and unite in a single median plate with a double spine; from this plate to caudal the rows are again distinct, the plates alternating instead of standing opposite each other; the superior and inferior lateral series begin as distinct rows of spinous plates about opposite middle of first dorsal, diverge to about front of second dorsal, and converge toward base of caudal; the plates elongated vertically, their spines, rising abruptly from their centers, are strong, thick, blunt, curved; about 37 plates in inferior and 35 in superior longitudinal row; between them lies * Diagnosis: Body moderately slender, compressed, its width between the dorsals nearly 2 in depth at same place; 2 rows of strong and 2 of weak spines along each side of body, and a median lateral row of spineless plates. Head 44. Preopereular spine large, subor- bital spine tubercular. Supraocular ridge expanded into a triangular shelf projecting laterally far beyond eye and ending bluntly; no occipital spines. Back elevated behind nape. First dorsal short, beginning at nape. Plates in dorsal series 43 to 45; between dorsals (from last spine to first ray) 14 pairs (9 pairs between end of membrane of first dorsal and first ray of second dorsal. Nasal spines sharp, far apart, at tip of snout. No median rostral plate. Gill membranes united, free from isthmus. Teeth in broad bands on jaws and on vomer; none on palatines. Vent between 4 and + distance from ventral to anal. Color (in spirits) ‘‘old ivory,”’ with brown patches on sides, 1 under first dorsal, 1 between dorsals, 1 under second dorsal, 2 or 3 on peduncle, B. 6; 1D.6; 2D. 7; A. 8; P.12; V.3 (1-2); C. 2-13-2. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2035 the median lateral series, bearing the lateral line, with a nearly continu- ous row of 38 or 39 spineless plates from head to caudal (a few of them with small, blunt tubercles) dorsolateral series composed of small, indis- tinct plates from occiput to beyond middle of first dorsal, where they become larger and spinous; plates of sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth pairs behind last ray of second dorsal closely approximated, but not forming single median plates; from ninth pair to candal the plates of the 2 rows alternate as on ventral surface; plates in dorsal series 43 to45. There are almost complete series of small plates, alternating with the large ones, between the dorso and superior lateral series, between the superior and median lateral, between the median and inferior lateral, and between the inferior and ventro lateral series; this multiplication by intercalation of small plates is evident all over the body. There are no large, but numer- ous minute, plates in front of and on base of pectorals. Gill membranes posteriorly and medially with several rather weak plates and many minute plates and prickles, anteriorly and laterally with a few small plates; underside of lower jaw with many imperfect plates or strong prickles; weaker prickles along the branchiostegal rays. Head depressed through- out, narrow to posterior border of orbits, behind which it widens rapidly. Depth behind orbits 7, and over opercles 3, of width at same points; orbits large, oval, 4} in head, far forward; interorbital space a little concave, very broad; at anterior border of orbits wider than the orbit itself, 34 in head; at posterior border of orbit 2% in head. Supraorbital ridges expanded into a flat, triangular shelf projecting upward and outward over eye and ending bluntly. Occipital ridges heavy, low, spineless, forming low domes behind; space between them concave. Preorbital with about 2 ridges radiating from the anterior inferior border of orbit, each ending in a short, broad, plate-like blunt spine; supraorbital with a broad, dome-like tuber- cle; preopercle with a dorsoventrally compressed spine; below this 3 suc- cessively smaller blunt spines; cheek below orbit and suborbital with 4 or 5 fairly developed and many minute plates; nasal spines far apart, near tip of snout sharp, nearly upright. A large membraneous nasal tube; a short, flap-like barbel at tip of each maxillary; mucous pores of lower jaw with flap-like borders.’ Mouth small, terminal; no median rostral plate; maxillary reaching a little beyond front of orbit; angle of jaw prominent, tubercular. Dorsals far apart (about 14 pairs of plates between last spine and first ray; 9 pairs from end of first dorsal mem- brane to first ray), the first a short distance behind occiput, its spines very rough (like the rays of all the fins), with minute prickles or plates; its leathery membrane also rough; spines 6, transversely broad at base, the fourth longest, 2 in head; base of second dorsal about 12 in that of first dorsal; rays 7, the third longest, about 14 in head; distance between dorsals about equal to base of first dorsal; aval beginning about 3 plates in front of second dorsal; rays 8, the fifth longest; the membrane notched, the distal third of the3 anterior rays exserted, with a narrow border of mem- brane; caudal rounded, its base about 2 in its length; pectorals close to gill openings, 4} in length of body, their base about 3 in their length, rays a little exserted; ventrals (male) less than 2 in pectorals, the inner ray 2036 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. longer, 8 in body. Lateral line with about 11 pores on the anterior and about 9 on posterior part of body. Gill membranes united, free from isthmus. Teeth on jaws and vomer; none on palatines. Color, pale brownish or yellowish (‘‘old ivory”); a light-brown cross bar across the back in front of and under first dorsal, narrowing to upper end of base of pectoral; another, of irregular outline, passing downward and forward to posterior side of base of pectoral; a larger one, mostly below the superior lateral series, behind first dorsal; 1 ander second dorsal, and 3 on peduncle, the last just in front of base of caudal; dorsal fins dusky, with small darker patches; first dorsal with a pale oblique bar near its base; distal half of caudal dark, its tip edged with lighter; posterior half of anal dusky ; pectorals marbled with yellowish and brown, the membrane of the distal third dusky, with paler edge; ventrals pale; 4 or 5 brown spots on nape; a curved band of brown connecting the posterior ends of the occip- ital ridges, another between the latter and the temporal ridges, and a streak extending backward from posterior border of orbit; brown areas on opercle and preopercle. Length 14} inches. North Pacifie; Kuril Islands (Steller), Gulf of Patience, Island of Saghalien (Tilesius), Okhotsk Sea (Dr. Krause); not known from Japan. Here described from a speci- men from Okhotsk Sea in Coll. Cal. Ac. Sci., the only one seen since the time of Pallas and Tilesius. (japonicus, from Japan, Japonia, because, according to Steller, it is more common toward the south, i. e., in Japan.) Cottus japonicus, PALLAS, Spicilegia Zoologia, vil, 30, pl. 5, figs. 1-38,1772, dry specimen, Kuril Islands (Coll. G. W. Steller); TILEsiIus, Krusenstern’s Reise um die Welt, Iv, pl. 87, 1813. Agonus curilicus, TiLEstus, Mém. Acad. St. Petersb., rv, 1811, 416; after PALLASand STELLER. Agonus stegophthalmus, TiLEsius, Memoirs Soc. Naturalists, Moscow, 1, 219, 1809, Gulf of Patience, Saghalien Island; TILEstus, Mém, Acad. St. Petersb., rv, 1811, 427, pl. 12; GUNTHER, Cat., I, 214, 1860. ; Aspidophorus lisiza, LACEPEDE, Hist. Nat. des Poiss., 1, 1802; after PALLAS. Aspidophorus superciliosus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., tv, 215, 1829, Kuril Islands; after PALLAS and TILESIUS. Percis japonicus, SCOPOLT, Int. Hist. Nat., 454, 1777. Agonus japonicus, BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, Systema Ichthyologia, 105, 180i. Phalangistes japonicus, PALLAS, Zoog. Rosso-Asiat., 1, 112, 1811. Hippocephalus superciliosus, SWAINSON, Nat. Hist. Fishes, ete., 11, 272, 1839. Hippocephalus japonicus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 723, 1883; CRAMER, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci, 1894, 194, with figure. : 760. AGONOMALUS, Guichenot. Agonomalus, GUICHENOT, Mém. Soc. Sci. Nat. de Cherbourg, rx, 1866, 252, pl. 9 (probosei- dalis). Head and body strongly compressed, the latter entirely armed with angular osseous plates. Teeth excessively small on both jaws, none on vomer or palatines. Dorsal fins separate; a long, fleshy barbel on tip of snout; mouth small; a very high, broad, somewhat recurved spine or bony projection above each orbit; occipital spines not prominent; origin of first dorsal above nape, the profile from nape to fin very steep; pectoral rays somewhat exserted; gill membranes probably united and free from isthmus. Closely related to Hypsagonus. (Agonus; oaddos, level, even, or flat; 1.e., compressed. ) Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2037 2399. AGONOMALUS PROBOSCIDALIS (Valenciennes). Height of body 5} in total length; greatest width of abdomen * of hei shi; Br 67 Ds Ville; A. 12; P. 11; V. 3 dy 2)5 ©. 2-11-2). Body slender, compressed. Side of body throughout its length with 2 rows of spinous plates, 1 above and 1 below lateral line, the plates oval, radially striated, the spines high, curved, compressed upon middle of plates. Behind pectoral girdle, between first plates of superior and inferior spinous series, a circular striated plate with a small spine; a small spine upon a plate on the pectoral girdle above insertion of pectoral fin. Sides between lateral spinous series a little concave. The rounded, somewhat prominent abdomen with small striated plates armed with low blunt tubercles. Profile of body rising vertically behind nape and under first spine of first dorsal, running in a straight line to second dorsal, rising a little under this fin, and descending gradually to caudal. Inferior profile nearly rectilinear. Head small, compressed, with a thick long median barbel at tip of snout; supraocular ridges high, passing down anterior border of orbit; the supraocular spines large, flat, thin; interorbital space deeply coneave, with a small longitudinal ridge; nasal spines present; a pair of occipital spines present; also a suprascapular tubercle; none on opercle, but a large, oblong, compressed spine on preopercle and 1 on suborbital; eye large, circular, 4 in head. The preorbital with ridges, ending at its lower border in strong denticulations. Mouth small; lewer jaw shorter than the upper; teeth excessively small; none on palatines. Spines of first dorsal large, curved, and higher than the body beneath them; second dorsal lower, its rays strong and curved; anal very long; caudal narrow and rounded; pectoral very large, its longest rays equal to longest spines of first dorsal; rays simple and rough; ventrals small. Lateral line indicated by a series of small longitudinal ‘‘traits” set off on naked space between the 2 longitudinal series of large spinous plates (after Valenciennes). Guichenot says the total length is scarcely 62 inches (16 cm.). His figure, which seems to be good, furnishes the following facts: About 7 plates of the superior lateral series between the adjacent rays of first and second dorsals, and about 2 between posterior edge of membrane of first dorsal and first ray of second dorsal; 10 plates from last ray of second dorsal to base of caudal. A small but distinct tubercle or spine posteriorly at base of supraocular spine. Occipital spine appar- ently very close to elevated part of back, but distinct; in front of its base a small but distinct tubercle, as in Hypsagonus quadricornis. Spines of first dorsal all exserted, the first for about } of its length; all rays of anal exserted, the anterior 3 or 4 for about } of their length; posterior anal rays (except the last) longest; all rays of pectoral considerably exserted (about + of their length); 27 spinous plates in the series above lateral line, 30 in the series below lateral line. One specimen known, taken in 1 of the coves of the Port of the Emperor Nicolas, Gulf of Tar- tary (Nicolaeysk, mouth of Amur River, west of the Island of Saghalien). (Guichenot.) (proboscidalis, bearing a proboscis; in allusion to the promi- nent barbel on snout.) 2038 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. Aspidophorus proboscidalis, VALENCIENNES, Comptes Rendus de lAcad. des Sciences, XLVU, 1040, 1858, Port of Emperor Nicolas (Nicolaevsk), Gulf of Tartary. Agonomalus proboscidalis, GUICHENOT, Mém. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg, 1865, 254, pl. 9; SAUVAGE, Nouv. Arch. Museum Hist. Nat., Paris (2), 1, 1878, 157. 761. HYPSAGONUS, Gill. Hypsagonus, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1861, 259 (quadricornis). Cheiragonus, HERZENSTEIN, Bull. Acad. Imp. Sci. de St. Petersb., XIM, 1890 116, (gra- diens = quadricornis). Body compressed, elevated, depth greater than length of head, more than 4 of body; head small, separated from first dorsal by a very deep nuchal depression; top of head very uneven, 1 pair of large supraocular and 1 pair of large occipital spines, strong, blunt; mouth terminal, jaws about equal, a large barbel or none at tip of snout; teeth on jaws, none on yomer or palatines; gill membranes united, free from isthmus; scales or plates large, radially striated, with a central spine or tubercle; 2 rows of strong and 2 of weaker spines along side of body; dorsal fin long, high, beginning immediately behind nape, the spines strong, the first ser- rated; pectorals short, procurrent, the lower 8 or 9 rays free; ventrals small; vent nearly halfway between ventrals and anal. (vy- high; Agonus.) 2400. HYPSAGONUS QUADRICORNIS* (Cuvier & Valenciennes). Br. 6; D. IX to XI (rarely IX, usually X), 6or 7; A. 9 or 10; P. 13 or 14; Vv. 3 (I, 2); C. 13; vertebree 3% (36). Pyloric ceca 5 (2 individuals). Body strongly compressed throughout its length. Abdomen swollen (much less in male than female) about ;% of the depth, the latter 3 to 43 (usually about 4) in the length; body much narrower under second dor- sal, only about 4 of depth. Back rises almost perpendicularly behind the nape, slopes downward to end of first dorsal, rises gently to base of sec- ond dorsal, then sinks and rises again to base of caudal; ventral outline gently convex. Plates distributed in general as in the other Agonoids, but with many deviations in detail. Interspaces membranaceous, studded with a variable number of small plates; vent nearly halfway between ventrals and anal, the membrane between it and ventrals with scattered plates; plates of ventrolateral series small, the spines short, blunt, strongest from vent to anal; those of the inferior lateral series clongated vertically, beginning behind middle of base of pectorals, with long, strong, curved spines, which rise abruptly from the center of the plates, growing smaller posteriorly, minute at base of caudal, their number vary- ing from 28 to 30. The series of the lateral line consists of 7 to 9 plates *Diagnosis: Body short, much compressed throughout its whole length; its greatest width 3 to 4? in depth; 2 rows of strong and 2 of weaker spines along side of body; a strong spine above base of pectoral; head 3}; preopercular spi. + present, large; 1 pair large supraocular and 1 pair large occipital spines, strong and blunt. Body abruptly ele- vated behind nape; first dorsal long, high, beginning immediately behind nape; 8 or 9 lower rays of pectoral free; plates in dorsal series about 33 to 35; between dorsals about 5; usually a single barbel at tip of snout; no median rostral plate; gill membranes broadly united, free from isthmus; no teeth on vomer or palatines; vent nearly halfway between ventrals and anal. Color, front half of body blackish violet (variable), hinder half pale, yellowish, with 2 or 3 narrow dark bands; caudal with dark band distally. Jordan and Evermann,.—Fishes of North America. 2039 (sometimes varying on the 2 sides of the same animal), the first 2 (ocea- sionally the first 3) very large, supplying the lack of plates in the supe- rior lateral series anteriorly and sometimes apparently forming a part of this series, their spines long, strong, and curved; remaining 5 or 6 plates distributed at varying distances along side of body, small, but sometimes provided with small spines; the superior lateral series begins under about the seventh spine of first dorsal and runs in a straight line to caudal, the spines a little smaller than those of the inferior lateral series, and vary from 25 to 27 in number (plus the 2 or 3 plates of the lateral line when they appear to belong to this series). The dorsolateral series begins behind occipital spine and follows outline of back close under dorsals, 33 to 35 pairs; plates small, with tubercles or blunt spines. Between the dorsolateral series and the base of each dorsal fin is a supplementary series of very small tuberculated plates or prickles; those under the anterior fin sometimes become apparently continuous with the dorso- lateral series, crowding the anterior plates of the latter downward; about 5 pairs between dorsal fins. Behind pectoral, between the inferior lat- eral series and the large anterior pore plates there are usually 2 or 3 plates, of which 1 or 2 sometimes bear minute spines; 1 plate with a large, strong spine just above base of pectoral; none in front of the fin, which is close to gill opening. No plates on branchiostegal membranes or lower jaw. Head compressed, snout 34; nearly as wide as high across preopercle, much narrower under orbits. Orbits large, circular, high up, 3 in head. Interorbital space wide behind, much narrower in front, concave; supra- orbital ridges high, shelving outward. over eye, ending in strong spines directed outward, upward, and a little backward, in front of the base of which there is a very small one, usually in the form of a tubercle of vari- able size (most distinct in the young). Preorbital with 2 or 3 ridges radi- ating from anterior inferior border of orbit, its edge scalloped; suborbital with a strong, compressed spine projecting nearly at a right angle; pre- opercle with a strong, compressed, curved spine, and below it 2 or 3 flat- tened smaller ones; nasal spines strong, curved, separate, somewhat diverging; 1 or 2 or no plates on lower part of cheek; no median rostral plate. Barbel at tip of snout, above premaxillaries, varying much in length, frequently entirely absent. Mouth small, terminal; maxillary reaching front of orbit. Teeth on jaws; none on vomer or palatines. Angle of jaws prominent, tubercular. Gill membranes broadly united, free from isthmus. First dorsal about 2} times as long as second, high, its spines strong, nearly upright, the first very, and some of the others somewhat, granulated or beset with prickles; the anterior spines but little exserted; membrane stretched. Second dorsal low, its rays stiff; caudal nearly truncate, its width at base about 13 in length; anal long, begin- ning under posterior end of first dorsal and ending opposite posterior end of second dorsal; 2 or 3 of the posterior rays (except the last) longest, all the rays much, the anterior more than half, exserted; ventrals of female 8 or 9 in length of body; in male longer, 6 to 74 in body length. Abdom- inal region much swollen in female. Lateral line, pores 15 to 19, in pairs, except the first. Vent nearly halfway between ventrals and anal. Color 2040 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. blackish or grayish violet, paler below; breast and belly in front of vent marbled with darker; anterior region to opposite posterior end of first dorsal dark, the dark region limited by a still darker band which runs up on the fin; posterior part of body paler, with narrow dark cross bands, 1 under the anterior and 1 under tle posterior part of the second dorsal, both passing down onto the anal; caudal peduncle darker, sometimes with irregular patches more intensely dark; caudal with a dark band at base, and another near distal end, the extreme tip white-edged; rays of anal with black spots near their tips; pectorals indefinitely cross-barred by series of short black streaks on rays; ventrals of both sexes with about 2 narrow bars of black. A variable species, widely diffused. Length 2; inches. North Pacific; Kamchatka, Bering Sea, and coasts of Alaska, south to Bristol Bay and Puget Sound. (Gilbert.) Here described from specimens taken by Dr. Gilbert (Albatross Coll.) about the Aleutian Islands. On these specimens Dr. Gilbert has the following notes: Taken north and south of the Aleutian Islands, in the shallow water; also at 1 sta- tion in Bristol Bay, in depths from 34 to 56 fathoms. Our specimens agree perfectly with the description of Hypsagonus (Cheiragonus) gradiens, Herzenstein (Bull. Acad. Imp. des Sci. de St. Petersb., xim, 116, May 29, 1890), described from the Gulf of Avatcha in Kamchatka. Dr. G. A. Boulenger, of the British Museum, has kindly compared one of our specimens with the type of Aspidophorus quadricornis, C. & V., and states that they are undoubtedly identical. Body short, much compressed, the head also narrow and compressed, especially above and in front. Nasal spines short and strong, a slender barbel, of varying length, in front of them on middle line of snout. Ocular region abruptly rising above the short, slender snout, the eyes vertical, overarched by the supra- orbital rim, which bears posteriorly a strong vertical spine. Interorbital space with a deep median groove and without ridges, the occipital region depressed below the bottom of the groove. No deep pit on occiput, the space being gently concave transversely, bounded laterally by moderate ridges, which bear posteriorly a spine preceded by a lone tubercle. A strong spine at lower inferior border of orbit; a strong spine at upper pre- opercular angle and 3 smaller ones below it; a strong spine above the base of pectoral, behind and above which on sides are 2 strong spines nearly in line with the upper lateral series of plates; surface of opercles with a few short spinous processes, but without definite spine. Vomer and palatines toothless. Branchiostegal membranes broadly joined, forming a free fold across the isthmus. Mouth narrow, horizontal, terminal, the lower jaw included. Maxillary reaching vertical slightly behind front of orbit, 32 in head. Eye large, 3 in head; snout 4; interorbital width over middle of orbit 4 head behind snout. Nape rising very abruptly from occiput to front of dorsal, the outline thence descending to near front of second dorsal when it again ascends. The points of - origin of the 2 dorsals are therefore prominent, the profile concave behind them. Body deepest under first dorsal spine, 3% in length. Greatest width of body near ventral out- line immediately behind ventral fin, 5} in length. A series of small prickles along base of spinous and anterior portion of soft dorsal, bearing 1 spinule to each ray. Plates all concealed, the spines alone projecting; upper lateral series of plates very small, bear- ing each a minute spinous point; this series is narrowly separated from base of spinous dorsal, and runs along base of soft dorsal, the 2 series uniting immediately behind the latter, bearing each a pair of diverging spines; lateral series with very strong spines, the largest being the anterior ones of the lower lateral series. The upper lateral series is incomplete anteriorly, ending under the eighth dorsal spine. It is apparently completed by 2 very strong spines, which belong, however, to the series of the lateral line. Ven- tral series of spines small, running along immediate base of anal fin, the pairs uniting behind the anal, the resulting plates bearing a pair of spines. As in the case of the dor- sal series, this union is more or less irregular and incomplete, the corresponding plates sometimes failing to unite, and then either maintaining their opposite position or alternat- Jordan and Evermann,.—Fishes of North America, 2041 ing. Lateral line with few widely spaced pairs of pores, those of each pair approximated and horizontally instead of vertically placed. The interspaces bear in the posterior part of the body a minute prickle each; in the case of the 2 or 8 anterior pairs, these become very strong spines, nearly on a line with the incomplete upper lateral series of plates. Anus anterior, nearly midway between base of ventrals and front of anal. First dorsal spine vertically over upper axil of pectoral. The fin is rigidly spread in alcoholic speci- mens; the third and tourth spines are longest and about equal length of snout and eye; interspace between dorsals equaling § length of orbit; anal much longer than second dorsal, its first ray under last dorsal spine, its last ray slightly in advance of the last ray of soft dorsal; anal membranes deeply incised, especially anteriorly. Caudal short, rounded; pectoral of 2 distinct divisions, the upper portion consisting of 4 or 5 rays joined by membrane; the lower part of 8 entirely disconnected rays. These upper and lower portions of the fin are used alternately in pushing the fish forward on the bottom, the upper lobe being downward and forward for the purpose. In the aquarium, the fish appears to walk, resting alternately on the upper and lower pectoral rays and on the front rays of the anal; the longest pectoral rays reach to or just beyond front of anal; ventrals short, not reaching vent in females, reaching to or slightly beyond vent in males. D.1X to XI, Gor7; A. 9or10; P.13 or 14; V.1I,2; C.13. Vertebree 8 + 28. Lateral line 7 to 9. Color; blackish or greyish violet, paler below; breast and belly in front of vent marbled with darker; anterior part of sides, to opposite last dorsal spines dark, the darker region limited by a still darker band which runs up on the fin; posterior part of body paler, usually with 3 darker cross bars, the last of which often broadens out to occupy all of the caudal peduncle; caudal with a dark bar at base and another at posterior margin, the extreme edge white; the dark vertical bars continued onto the anal fin, the rays also spotted with back near tips; ventrals with a black bar or spot at base; sometimes a second on middle of fin; pectorals indefinitely cross-barred, largely pale on basal portion; color varying greatly, the lighter areas on body and fins often with dusky marblings. (Gilbert.) (quatuor, four; cornu, horn.) Aspidophorus quadricornis, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 1v, 221, 1829, Kamchatka. (Coll. Dr. Collée. Type in British Museum.) Hypsagonus (Cheiragonus) gradiens, HERZENSTEI, Bull. Acad. Imp. des Sci. de St. Petersb., tome XIII, 116, May 29, 1890, Kamchatka, Sinus Awatska, Port Petropaulski. Agonus quadricornis, GUNTHER, Cat., 1, 215, 1860. Hypsagonus quadricornis, GILL, Proc. Ac Nat. Sei. Phila., x11, 1861, 167; JORDAN & GIL- BERT, Synopsis, 722, 1883; GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm, 1893 (1896), 439. 762. STELLERINA, Cramer, Stellerina, CRAMER, in JoRDAN & EVERMANN, Check-List Fishes, 447, 1896 (ayosternus). Body moderately elongate, tapering uniformly from head to caudal, 8-hedral, subterete, a little depressed anteriorly, depth about 7, width about 6 in length; head 44, tapering but little forward; profile of head and snout in straight line with back. Plates in dorsal series about 35; between occiput and first dorsal 6 or 7 pairs. Plates of body spinous; breast covered with radially striated prickles. Mouth very oblique, the snout short, not tubular, lower jaw protruding, entering profile; teeth small, in few rows on jaws, none on yvomer or palatines. A barbel at tip of each maxillary. No median rostral plate. Nasal spines small; no supraocular or occipital spines. Gill membranes united, free from the isthmus. Anal long. (Named for Georg Wilhelm Steller, naturalist and explorer, the first to study the fishes of Bering Sea.) 3030 51 2042 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, 2401. STELLERINA XYOSTERNA* (Jordan & Gilbert). Bose lior VilL—6i\ A Stor OimkegidnO, LO: Viena (lee 2))ical Cre well eplesnaitarti— eral line 36. Body slightly depressed in front, as high as wide under first dorsal, 8-hedral, subterete, the faces but little concave; tail strongly depressed, hexagonal. The sharp, slightly curved spines present on all the plates of each series, but minute on the median, dorsal and ventral plates of caudal peduncle; the superior lateral series begining opposite front of first dorsal, being replaced anteriorly by the series of the lateral line. Unlike the species of Phalangistes (in which there are several), only 1 pair of plates between last ray of second dorsal and first median plate and 1 between last anal ray and first median plate. Breast, unlike that of other species, without plates, but covered with innumerable radially striated prickles; edge of breast in front of lower end of base of pectoral with 3 to 5 plates. Branchiostegal membrane and under side of mandible naked; membrane between the ventrolateral series behind and around vent with minute scattered prickles; 2 or 3 spinous plates in front of pectoral; the inferior lateral series, unlike that of O. dodecaedron, running directly toward base of pectoral. Head tapering but little forward, as high as wide, 44 in length. Orbits moderate, nearly cir- cular, longer than snout, a little more than 3 in head; interorbital space nearly flat, nearly 2 in orbit; supraorbital and occipital ridges but little developed, spineless; temporal ridge moderate; a small suprascapular spine. Cheeks vertical; 2 minute spines at border of preorbital, 1 on sub- orbital, 2 rather large and sometimes a third small one on preopercle; no plates on lower part of cheek; nasal spines minute, converging behind the maxillary pedicles. Median rostral plate absent; mouth very oblique, lower jaw protruding, entering profile; maxillary nearly reaching pupil, enlarged at tip. Teeth few and small in fewrows on jaws; none on vomer or palatines. One barbel at tip of each maxillary. Gill openings large, membranes united, free from isthmus. Dorsals well separated; anal long, beginning under posterior end of first dorsal; caudal about 3 times as long as wide; pectoral 43 in length of body, the base more than 3 in the length, with 17 to 19 rays (19 rays in 1 pectoral of a small specimen, 18 in the other), rounded, the lower rays rapidly shortening; ventrals of female 2 in pectorals, 14 in male; tips of rays exserted. Color, light olive brown, pale below; top of head and back with minute spots and sinuous streaks of darker; lower jaw and lower edge of cheek silvery; pectorals dark, with a broad pale patch below, near base, and a broad pale tip; ventrals pale in both sexes (?); rays of dorsals dark; caudal dark; pos- terior part of anal dark, as in B. dodecaédron. Length 6} inches. Coast of California and Oregon, rather rare, south to Monterey. Here described from specimens from coast of Oregon, taken in 24 fathoms. (2a, to scrape; OTépvor, breast.) * Diagnosis: Body moderately elongate, tapering uniformly from head to caudal, 8-hedral- a little depresssd anteriorly, the depth at base of pectorals 2 of width, the latter 6 im length; profile of head and snout nearly in a straight line with back; head but little tapering forward, 44 in body; plates in dorsal series 35; between occiput and first dorsal 6 or 7; between dorsals 4 to 6; from ventrals to anal about 10 pairs. - One barbel at tip of maxillary; gill membranes free; median rostral plate wanting; nasal spines small; no supraocular or occipital spines. Color light olive brown, pale below; mandible and lower part of cheek silvery. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2048 Brachyopsis xyosternus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 11, July 2, 1880, 152, Santa Cruz, California; (Coll. Dr. C. L. Anderson); JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 727, 1883; JORDAN, Cat. Fishes N. A., 113, 1885. Agonus (Brachyopsis) anne, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitriige, 1x, 254 (17), pl. 6, figs. 1, la, and 1b, Sitzb. der K. Acad. der Wiss., LXXX1, July 15, 1880, San Francisco, California. 763. OCCA, Jordan & Evermann, new genus, Occa, JORDAN & EVERMANN, new genus (verrucosus). This genus differs from Brachyopsis in the short snout which is not tubular, and is formed as in Sfellerina. From the latter genus it is sepa- rated by the large plates on the breast, and by the presence of at least a few teeth on the vomer and palatines. North Pacific. (occa, a harrow.) a. Anal rays 10 to 12; plates of belly bluntly spinous; ventrals pale. VERRUCOSA, 2402. aa. Anal rays 14 to 16; plates of belly nearly smooth; ventrals dark. DODECAEDRON, 2403. 2402. OCCA VERRUCOSA* (Lockington). Br. 6; D. VII to IX-7 or 8; A. 11 or 12 (10 or 11, Lockington); P. 14 or 15; V. 3 (1, 2); C. 1, 11, 1; vertebrae 13 + 24—37 (37). Pyloric cea 6 (1 individual) ; lateral line 36 or 37. Body and tail depressed throughout, the former rounded octagonal, the faces little concave; caudal peduncle hex- agonal, short, with about 7 median dorsal and 5 or 6 median ventral plates; the sharp curved spines better developed than in O. dodecaedron, present on all ridges from head to caudal, except 2 or 3 plates of median ventral series of peduncle; plates of median lateral (lateral line) series large and bearing small spines from head to near posterior end of second dorsal; 4 or 5 pairs of plates between last ray of second dorsal and first median plate, and 5 pairs between last anal ray and first median plate; about 18 fairly large and tubereulated plates on breast, some of them separated by narrow intervals of membrane with numerous prickles. Branchiostegal membrane naked posteriorly. Under side of mandible and anterolateral parts of branchiostegal membrane with minute plates or prickles; 3 or 4 large spinous plates in front of, and a number of small plates and prickles on base of pectoral fin; the ventrolateral series separated, from ventrals nearly to anal, by membrane studded with 6 or 8 small striated plates behind and a few around vent; the latter a little farther than usual from base of ventrals (as in O. dodecaedron). Top of head, dorsal, and 2 adja- cent faces of body granulated; space behind pectoral as far back as its tip naked. Head depressed, elongate, broad behind, its depth } of its width, the latter about 6 in length of body. Orbits large, oval, the longitudinal diameter longer than snout, 3} in head. Interorbital space wide, nearly equal to orbit, flat between supraocular ridges; the latter spineless, turning out almost at right angles, forming a thin saw-like transverse ridge along * Diagnosis: Body moderately elongate, tapering, 8-hedral, depressed; depth about ¢ width, the latter 6 in length; head broad, much depressed, tapering by concave outlines to a blunt snout, 48 in length of body. Plates in dorsal series 35 or 36; between occiput and first dorsal, 7; between dorsals, 4; from ventral to anal, 10 or 11 pairs. One barbel at tip of each maxillary; gill membranes united, free from isthmus. Median rostral plate wanting: nasal spines minute; no supraocular or occipital spines. Olivaceous, banded with darker; pectorals with 3 or 4 black areas. 2044 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, posterior border of orbit; occipital ridges spineless, temporal ridge broken into 2 or 3 tubercles, sometimes ending in a small suprascapular spine. Cheeks nearly vertical, the suborbital ridge but slightly developed; usu- ally a spine at lower border of orbit, 3 or 4 small ones on inferior border of preorbital, a moderate one on suborbital, a rather large one, and beneath it, asmaller one on the preopercle; 3 or 4 moderately developed plates, or as inany smaller ones with numerous minute plates or prickles, on cheek below ridge; nasal spines minute, converging behind maxillary pedicles; median rostral plate absent. Mouth oblique, a little less so than in O. dodecaédron, the lower jaw protruding; maxillary reaches to opposite front of pupil. Teeth present on jaws, few and small on vomer, few or none on palatines. One barbel at tip of each maxillary. Dorsals long, moderately separated; anal long, beginning under posterior end of first dorsal; pecto- rals 44 in length of body, their width at base 3 in their length, are rounded, the lowermost rays rapidly shortening; ventrals of female a little less than 2 in pectorals, those of male much longer, reaching beyond front of anal, longer than pectorals; the membrane broad. Caudal 3 times as long as wide at base. Color dark grayish or brownish, pale below; the young with distinct cross bars, a broad one in front of first dorsal, 1 ‘under the front end and 1 behind middle of first dorsal, 1 between dorsals, 1 under second dorsal, and 2 on peduncle; bars indistinct in adults; dorsals dusky, faintly barred with darker, caudal dark; anal dark on membrane, white- edged (dark only on posterior end in young, as in O. dodecaédron); pecto- rals washed with orange, 2 dark blotches near base, the terminal part with 2 (sometimes confluent) or 1 large dark patch (these patches in the young appearing as partially confluent bars, more like O. dodecaédron) ; ventrals of female pale, of male bright orange yellow, with a large black spot inside of first ray and 2 small ones at tip. Length 8 inches. Coast of California and Oregon, south to San Francisco, in 11 to 36 fathoms. Here described from specimens from off the Oregon coast. (verrucosus, warty.) Brachyopsis verrucosus, LOCKINGTON, Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus., 1, May 6, 1880, 69, Drakes Bay, near San Francisco, California; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 726, 1883; Jor- DAN, Cat. Fishes N. A., 114, 1885. Agonus (Brachyopsis) barkani, SVEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitrige, 1x, 253 (16), pl. 5, Sitzb. der k. Akad. der Wiss., LXXxu1, July 15,1880, San Francisco, California. 2403. OCCA DODECAEDRON®* (Tilesius). BEv6; 7D I XeoreX i (ores A: 14 to 16;eP.d4or 155. V3 (1, 2) ea ie tie vertebrae 13+ 26—39. Pylorie ceca 5 (1 individual). Lateral line with 37 or 38 pores. Body as far as middle of first dorsal depressed, becoming gradually compressed behind. Caudal peduncle short, 5 to 7 dorsal and * Diagnosis: Body moderately elongate, tapering nearly uniformly from head to caudal, depressed, 8-hedral; peduncle Eyedral, compressed posteriorly; depth of body 3 of width, the latter at base of pectorals 6 in length. Head broad, much depressed, 43. Plates in dorsal series 40; between occiput and first dorsal 8 or 9; between dorsals 3 to5; from ventrals to anal 13 to 15 pairs. One barbel at tip of each maxillary; gill membranes free. Median rostral plate wanting; nasal spines minute, usually absent; no supraocular or occipital spines. Brownish olivaceous, with several indistinct cross bars; dorsal fins with 2 black bars. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2045 3 or 4 ventral median plates, compressed, hexagonal, Short blunt spines present on the dorsolateral series from a little in front of first dorsal to middle of second dorsal, none on median dorsal plates of peduncle; sharper spines on the superior lateral series from near head to near caudal; the very low ridges of the inferior lateral and ventrolateral series bear a few spines near middle of body; plates of the median lateral (lateral line) series nearly as large as those of the adjoining series, about a dozen of the most anterior bearing small spines; 5 or 6 pairs of plates between last ray of second dorsal and first median plate, and about 5 pairs between last anal ray and first median plate; a strong sinuous ridge of plates from lower end of base of pectoral to isthmus; a small median ridge on breast, of 2 small plates in front of bases of ventrals, followed anteriorly by a median series of 3 or 4 larger single plates; between this and the edge the breast is covered with small, thin, distinct plates with numerous small tubercles interspersed; the branchiostegal membrane ‘posteriorly and medially and anterolaterally covered with small plates and prickles; whole underside of mandible with small plates and some prickles or tubercles; 4 or 5 large plates in front of, and a number of minute plates or prickles on base of pectoral fin. Membrane behind and around vent and between vent and ventrals with a variable number of small plates, but mostly with numerous prickles or tubercles. Vent a little farther removed from base of ventrals than usual in the Agonoids. An elongate triangular space behind pectoral, between the inferior and ventrolateral series, naked. Top of head, median dorsal, and 2 adjacent faces of body granulated. Head much depressed, broad behind, tapering, its. depth % its width, the latter about 6 in length of body. Orbits small, nearly cir- cular, the longitudinal diameter a little more than 4 in head; interorbital space concave, wide, equal to snout, nearly equal to orbit; supraocular, occipital, and temporal ridges low, spineless; cheeks nearly vertical, sub- orbital ridge hardly developed, spineless; a large, heavy tubercle or spine projecting from preopercle at an angle of 45°; below this 1 or 2 flat small ones; no plates on cheeks; mouth very oblique, maxillary reaching front of pupil; teeth in bands on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Dorsals long, their membranes sometimes continuous; anal very long, beginning a little behind middle of first dorsal; pectorals a little more than 4 in length of body, their base 3} in their length, with 14 or 15 graduated rays (a few of the uppermost shorter); ventrals of female about jj; those of male; the latter less than 2 in pectorals, about 3 of head; caudal 3 times as long as wide at base. Color brownish olivaceous, pale below; a much-interrupted, indefinite dark band from angle of mouth, under orbit, across preopercles, above pectorals, and along lateral line; a few indistinct cross bars on back; dorsals with a broad dark band along the edge and a parallel one across the middle, otherwise white; caudal dusky; anal dusky near the posterior end; pectorals transversely barred by about 6 series of black points or short streaks on rays; ventrals pale in female, the membrane black in male; head and lips with numer- ous minute black spots and streaks. North Pacific, Kamchatka}; south to Bristol Bay, coast of Alaska, in 10 to 15 fathoms. (Gilbert.) Here 2046 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. described from specimens from Bristol Bay. (dmdexadedpos, having 12 surfaces or sides. ) On these specimens Dr. Gilbert has the following notes: “A few specimens taken in Bristol Bay in 44 to 14 fathoms. In males the colors are much brighter than in females, recalling O. verrucosa. The bars on dorsal fins are, in males, intense black and bright white, instead of olive brown and whitish as in females; males show also a larger black patch on last anal rays, and have the interradial membrane of ventral jet- black; in none of our specimens does the caudal fin show transverse lines of brown points, as described by Cuvier; in both males and females the caudal is dusky or black, the median rays lighter, the outer ones white. D. 1X or X,7 or 8; A.14 to 16.” (d@dexa, twelve; &dpa, surface, side.) Agonus dodecaédron, TILESIUS, Mém. Acad. Petersb., Iv, pl. 13, 1810, Kamchatka (Coll. W. T. Tilesius); GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 214, 1860. Phalangistes loricatus, PALLAS, Zoog. Rosso- Asiat., 11, 114, taf. 19,1811, Kamchatka. Aspidophorus dodecacdrus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Iv, 209, 1829. Brachyopsis dodecaédrus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 723, 1883. 764. BRACHYOPSIS, Gill. . Brachyopsis, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., x11, 1861, 167, 259 (rostratus). Siphagonus, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitriige, v, 140, Sitzb. Acad. Wiss. Wien, LXxIv, July, 1876 (seqaliensis). Body moderately elongate, tapering nearly uniformly from head to cau- dal; depressed, 8-hedral (6-hedral on peduncle); depth about 8, width about 6 in length; head broad, depressed, about 44 to 5 in standard length. Snout long, almost tubular, bearing the short jaws at the end. Plates in dorsal series about 35 to 40 or more; a barbel at tip of each maxillary; median rostral plate none; nasal spines minute or absent; supraocular and occipital spines none; gill membranes united, free from isthmus; anal fin long, with 12 or 13 rays, first dorsal usually long; mouth oblique, lower jaw projecting; teeth present on jaws, vomer, and palatines; at least some of the plates on body spinous; plates on breast usually with interspersed small prickles or tubereles. (pays, short; dis, face.) a. Anal rays 13; dorsal spines 8; body fusiform, broad at the breast, the tail very slender. ROSTRATUS, 2404. aa. Analrays 12; body slender; eye behind middle of head; 2 spines on suborbital. SEGALIENSIS, 2405. 2404. BRACHYOPSIS ROSTRATUS * (Tilesius). Br.6; D VIII,8; A.13; C.10; P.14; V,1,2. Body more elongate than in Agonus cataphractus, the tail very slender, the body distinctly fusiform, * Diagnosis. Lateral line 36. Body more fusiform than in other species of this genus, very robust in frout of the middle, tapering to the slender tail. Head triangular and pointed, as seen from above, the mouth quite narrow; eyes small, well forward; head considerably depressed, snout without spine; a short flap at angle of mouth; scales not very rough; gill membranes free from isthmus; ventrals quite short; breast with a median row of raised convex plates; a row of similar plates bordering edge of gill open- ing, the three series forming a/\-shaped figure, the interstices filled with very small plates. This diagnosis from Bering Sea specimens obtained by Dr. Bean. (Jordan & Gilbert.) Jordan and E:vermann.—Fishes of North America, 2047 widest between pectorals; mouth short oblique, the maxillary not reaching to below eye; protile straight, cranium flat above, the eyes prominent; no spines on the orbit; preopercle with 5 spines on its vertical margin; 2 on the lower border of the large suborbital; trunk 8-angled; tail 6-angled. Plates more numerous than in Agonus, 40 on each upper range from nape to point of their union; numbers in the other rows in proportion; upper series with their ridges rather sharp, lower with obtuse ridges; 2 series of abdomen separated by dilatable skin; no barbels on gill membranes. Pectorals longer and dorsals farther back than in O. dodecaedron or Podothe- cus acipenserinus. Lower rays of pectoral larger than the others; anal longer than second dorsal, beginning under middle of first dorsal; length 10 inches. (Tilesius, as quoted by Cuvier & Valenciennes.) The figure of Tilesius shows a tubular compressed snout, with the short mouth at the end and a very wide back, mesially concave. Specimens from Petropaul- ski have the eye 2} in snout; mandible 24 in head; maxillary 44; snout 3; pectoral nearly as long as head; breast with large plates in 3 dividing rows, with smaller ones between. ‘Tail very slender, not spinous; body chubby, the greatest width 24, greatest depth 24 in head; head nearly 5 in body. Scales 44. Teeth minute. The species is intermediate in form between Occa dodecaedron and Pallasina barbata. Several specimens from Shana Bay, Iturup Island, show the following characters: Dorsal face wider than in either and deeply concave; snout elongate, depressed, its width taken at middle of its length } greater than its depth at same point, and } its length, measured from tip of lower jaw; lower jaw much longer than upper, the symphysis entering upper profile of snout, vertically fur- rowed at tip; maxillary not reaching orbit, 4in head; preorbital elongate, with a lengthwise ridge which divides anteriorly, the branches not ter- minating in spines, the edge of preorbital entire; anterior nostril in a short tube. Teeth all minute, present on jaws and vomer, often absent on palatines, sometimes present in a small patch on extreme anterior end. Suborbital stay without spine, forming a gibbous striated protuberance on middle of cheek, between which and the horizontal edge of preopercle is a series of three or four small plates; 2 strong diverging spines at angle of preopercle; a shorter spine below them; orbital margins ele- vated superiorly and posteriorly; interorbital space very narrow, grooved and longitudinally striated, its width equalling $ diameter of orbit, which is 6 in head; no spines on top of head, the ridges low and rounded. Head 4% to 4% in length; width of body 8} to 84; length of caudal ped- uncle 33 to 4. Body anteriorly hexagonal, the upper lateral ridge becom- ing obselete immediately in front of spinous dorsal; lower lateral ridge also becoming rounded and obsolescent anteriorly; dorsal face widening rapidly from occiput to front of spinous dorsal where its width equals snout; it gradually narrows posteriorly, the dorsal ridges becoming con- fluent at a point much nearer base of caudal than end of second dorsal; ventral ridges spineless, the lateral ridges with short spinous points, often distinguishable with difficulty; dorsal series anteriorly with stronger spines which rapidly diminish posteriorly; branchiostegal and gular membranes without plates; plates on body without the minute prickles 2048 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. so characteristic of Occa verrucosa and O. dodecaedron; breast covered with polygonal plates, a series elevated to form a median ridge, the marginal plates also prominent; prepectoral area wide, with 4 prominent plates, the uppermost bearing a short spine posteriorly; in the dorsal series of plates, 10 lie in advance of first dorsal, 11 between origins of first and second dorsals, 9 or 10 along base of second dorsal, 6 to 9 between second dorsal and the point of confluence of the dorsal series, and 5 to 7 between the latter point and base of caudal; total number of plates in dorsal series 43 to 45, in 6 specimens examined. Pectorals long and narrow, 14 in head; dorsal with 8 (rarely 9) spines and 8 soft rays; anal with 13 (rarely 14) rays; pectoral with 14 rays. Color dusky above, marked with small black spots and lines; white below, growing dusky posteriorly; caudal blackish; ventrals white; anal white, with the last rays dusky; dorsals and pectorals with the rays finely dotted with black. North Pacifie, recorded from Saghalien, Gulf of Aniva, Petropaulski, and the Kuril Islands. (rostratus, pertaining to the rostrum or snout; ‘Snot because it has a beak, but because its head and snout are more contracted than in the others.”’) Agonus rostratus, TILESIUS, Mém. Acad. Petersb., tv, 1810, pl. 14, Saghalien, Gulf of Aniva. (Coll. Tilesius.) Phalangistes fusiformis, PALLAS, Zoog. Rosso-Asiat., 111, 116, 1811, Saghalien, Gulf of Aniva; Kuril Islands. (Coll. Steller & Merk.) Agonus rostratus, GUNTHER, Cat., I, 214, 1860. Aspidophorus rostratus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Iv, 212, 1829. Brachyopsis rostratus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 726, 1883; JORDAN, Cat. Fishes N. A., 113, 1885. 2405. BRACHYOPSIS SEGALIENSIS (Tilesius). D. VII,8; A. 12; C. 10; P. 14; V.I, 2. Form resembling Brachyopsis rostratus, but the tail shorter; body depressed; eye behind middle of head; 2 spines on suborbital, and some others about eyes; dorsals contiguous; anal longer than second dorsal; pectorals large; no barbels under throat; gill membranes and barbels at chin undescribed, probably as in Brachy- opsis rostratus. Yellowish brown; fins with black bands. Length 7 inches. Island of Saghalien. (Cuvier & Valenciennes.) Not seen by recent writers. (Name from Saghalien.) Syngnathus segaliensis, TILESIUS, Mém. Soc. Imp. Nat. de Moscow, I, 216, pl. 14, 1810, Bay of Patience, Saghalien. (Coll. Krusenstern.) ‘ Siphagonus segaliensis, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitriige, v, 140, and Sitzb. der k. Acad. der Wiss., LXXIV., 1876; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 723, 1883. Agonus levigatus, TILESIUS. Mém. Acad. Petersb., Iv, 436, 1810, Saghalien; CUVIER & Va- LENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., rv, 214, 1829. Phalangistes levigatus, PALLAS, Zoog. Rosso-Asiat., 111, 116, 1811. 765. PALLASINA,* Cramer. Pallasina, CRAMER, Proce. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 815 (barbata). Form of Syngnathus or Siphostoma; body slender, depressed; 4-hedral anteriorly, 8-hedral under dorsals; 6-hedral on peduncle; snout produced * The genus Siphagonus, Steindachner, was expressly based on Agonus seyaiiensis. The name can not be used for this group. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2049 in a tube; lower jaw projecting beyond upper, turned upward at tip, a long barbel at the symphysis; teeth on jaws and vomer, a single row on palatines; gill membranes free from isthmus, united; both dorsals present ; ventrals very short; plates of body slightly keeled, without spines; verte- bree about 45. (Named for Petrus Simon Pallas, naturalist and explorer, the accomplished author of Zoographia Rosso-Asiatica, 1811.) a. Three plates in front of ventrals; barbel long. BARBATA, 2406. aa. Two plates in front of ventrals; barbel short. AIX, 2407. 2406. PALLASINA BARBATA (Steindachner). Br. 5; D. VI to IX,7; A. 9 to 12; P. 12; V.3 (I, 2); C.11; lateral line 45 or 46; vertebrae 15 + 30= 45, Pyloric cxea 6 (1 individual). Body slightly depressed in front, depth at base of pectorals § or 7 of width, slender, width about 11 in length. Ridges of the dorso and ventro lateral series strong, the dorsal and lateral halves of the plates form a right angle; no ridge on the inferior lateral row and the plates of the superior lateral row absent anteriorly, so that the body is 4-hedral in front of first dorsal, with dorsal and ventral faces flat or a little concave and the lateral convex. Under first dorsal, the superior lateral series begins with keeled plates, the ridge of the inferior lateral series becoming more prominent, so that under the dorsals the body is 8-hedral; dorsal and ventral faces grooved, and depth equaling length. Caudal peduncle strongly depressed, nearly 4-hedral (median dorsal and ventral ridges extremely low); 45 or 46 plates in the dorsal series, 4 pairs between dorsals, 12 to 13 pairs from ventrals to anal, 5 to 9 pairs between last ray of second dorsal and first median ventral plate; 3 or 4 large plates in a median longitudinal row on breast, with about 1 row of 4 or 5 small ones between it and the series forming the edge of breast; plates radially striated and a little elevated at the center; none between ventrals and vent. Membrane behind vent without plates (or as many as 19, Steindachner’s excellent figure). Branchiostegal membrane naked posteriorly, 2 or 3 plates anterolaterally. Narrow nude surface of lower jaw with a series of several plates; 2 or 3 plates in front of pectoral. Head very long and narrow, gently tapering, nearly as high as wide. Orbits nearly circular, the longitudinal diameter about 5} in head and 2 in snout. Interorbital space moderately concave, nearly 2 in orbit. Supraocular ridges moderate, occipital ridges scarcely defined, temporal ridges moderate, all spineless; no suborbital ridge; suborbital bone spineless; a sharp spine at posterior angle of preopercle and 2 smaller flat ones below this; a longitudinal series of 4 or 5 poorly developed plates on lower part of cheek, between the long horizontal limb of preopercle and orbit. Snout long, tubular, about 24 in head. Frontal bones much elongated forward, an additional bony plate in front of preorbital and over- hanging the maxillary; several small plates in membranaceous interval between preorbital and frontal in front of orbit. Posterior inferior angle of maxillary produced backward, reaching a little more than half- way to orbit. Median rostral plate absent. Lower jaw long, curved upward in front, projecting beyond the upper and entering profile; mouth oblique. Teeth in narrow bands on jaws and vomer, about 1 row on pal- 2050 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, atines (Steindachner apparently saw none on palatines). 2418. AVERRUNCUS STERLETUS, Gilbert, new species. Head 42 in length; eye 3} in head, width at base of pectorals 7; depth 84. D. VII, 8; A.9; P.12 on each side; 59 plates in dorsolateral series. Very closely related to A. emmelane, with which it agrees in coloration and general appearance as well as in most details of structure. It differs in the following respects: The snout is shorter, the rostral spines scarcely protruding beyond the premaxillaries. No barbels on snout below rostral spines, or on margin of preorbital, or at mandibular joint. Region between rostral spine and front of premaxillaries wholly occupied by a triangular movable plate, with rough granular surface; breast with 3 parallel series of sharply keeled plates; no spine at posterior end of premaxillary fossa; ventrals very long and slender, wholly white; spinous dorsal, anal, and pectorals with fewer rays; rostral projection shorter than in A. emmelane, with 2 short forwardly directed spines, behind which is a pair more widely separated directed downward and backward; supraocular ridge elevated, not sharp, finely granular, with preocular and postocular spines; ridges and spines on head as in A. emmelane, but none of the former rough serrate. Eye large, longer than snout and more than twice the interorbital width. Mouth little overpassed by the rostral spines, the maxillary reaching slightly behind front of orbit, 34 in head. Teeth present on jaws, vomer, and palatine. Barbels fewer than in A. emmelane; 3 present on maxillary, 2 of which are at its posterior end, the upper much the longer; the third inserted more anteriorly behind the middle of the maxillary; 8 shorter barbels are present on each mandibular ramus, the posterior only near the joint; several short barbels on gular region, and a cross series on each branchiostegal membrane, usually 1 barbel for each ray. Plates on body as in 4. emmelane, all with sharp 2072 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. spines, which are present though small in the ventral series; middle of breast with 1 median and 2 lateral series of plates, all of which bear distinct longitudinal keels; the 2 lateral ridges on breast being the anterior contin- uation of the ventral ridges of the trunk; spinous dorsal beginning at the seventh dorsal plate, the last dorsal spine articulating with the thirteenth plate; the first and last rays of the second dorsal articulate respectively with the eighteenth and twenty-fourth plates; the dorsal series unite at the thirtieth plate, the median series of 9 plates thus formed bearing double or bifid spines throughout; the first and the last anal rays articulating respec- tively with the sixteenth and twenty-third plates of ventral series (ex- cluding the anterior 3 on breast); the ventral series coalescing immediately opposite the union of the dorsal series; the anus is opposite the inter- space between the third and fourth plates; ventral spines long and slen- der, equaling length of snout and eye; pectorals equaling length of head in advance of opercular joint; five lower pectoral rays with incised membranes, the tips projecting. Color, similar to 4. emmelane, the back and sides with 7 or 8 narrow black cross bars, the posterior of which extend faintly on the under surface; the interspaces on back are some- what dusky, with lighter vermiculating lines and spots, a few of which extend on the bars; the dorsals have a speckled appearance and are darker when they lie above the black dorsal bars; head blackish above, the head and body light or slightly dusky below; ventrals white; anal white, with some black markings along the base of the rays; pectorals with a wide black bar at base succeeded by a wide white bar; then follow a narrower black bar and a narrow: terminal white bar; caudal - with a narrow basal bar of black, then a narrow white bar followed by a broad black bar and edged with white. Coast southern California, Coro- nado Island. The type, a specimen 44 inches long, from Albatross Station 3662. (sterletus, sturgeon; a modern Latin word, probably derived from Sturio.) (Type in U.S. Nat. Mus. Coll. Albatross.) Averruncus sterletus, GILBERT MS., off Avalon, Coronado Island, in 47 fathoms. 771. SARRITOR, Cramer. Sarritor, CRAMER, in Jordan & Evermann, Check-List Fishes, 448, 1896 (frenatus). Body tapering uniformly to base of caudal; head 4 to 44, depth 6 to 8 in standard length. Plates on body nearly all without spines. Plates in dorsal series 38 to 45, 5 to 6 pairs between occiput and first dorsal. No large knife-like plate over eye. Both dorsal fins present, rather long, the rays growing shorter behind the last adnate to back. Four to 6 pairs of barbels about mouth, 1 pair under tip of snout. A pair of recurved spines near tip of snout. One pair of supraocular and 1 or 2 pairs of occipital spines. Teeth on jaws and yomer, none on palatines. Gill membranes joined to isthmus, without free fold; no barbels on gill membranes. Lower rays of pectorals with free exserted tips. Vertebrie 40 to 46. This genus is very close both to Podothecus and to Odontopyxis, differing from the former in the presence of vomerine teeth, and from the latter in the absence of a free median plate at the tip of the snout. Its relations to Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2073 Averruncus are still closer, the chief difference being in the smooth plates of the body and in the absence of cirri on the gill membranes. (sarritor, one that scrapes. ) a. Snout moderate, about } length of head; ventrals dark in male. FRENATUS, 2419. aa. Snout very long, produced in a flat, triangular piece exserted for a distance equal to 2 orbit; ventrals pale. LEPTORHYNCHUS, 2420. 2419. SARRITOR FRENATUS, * Gilbert. Head 4} to 44. D. VI to VIII, 7 or8; A.6or7; P.15; V.1.2; C. 11, witha rudiment; lateral line 40. Body slightly depressed, tapering regularly backward from occiput, the depth about { of the width at base of pec- torals. The ridges are prominent, the dorsal and dorsolateral ridges pro- vided with strong spines, the ventral and ventrolateral series with weak or scarcely discernible spines, all decreasing in size backward, becoming obsolete on caudal peduncle. Dorsal face deeply concave anteriorly, its ridges coalescing, from 3 to 4 plates behind the dorsal fin; other faces much less concave, the ventral ridges coalescing, 3 or 4 plates behind the anal fin; plates in dorsal series 44 or 45; 5 or 6 pairs between occiput and first dorsal, 9 or 10 under first dorsal, 2 or 3 between dorsals, 7 or 8 under second dorsal, 17 or 18 behind dorsals; about 25 plates on breast, consist- ing of a strong median series which bear a well-marked rounded ridge, a strong lateral series at edge of breast also projecting, and a number of small plates occupying the concave intermediate areas. In young speci- mens the breast plates have central elevations, and bear each a back- wardly directed spine; these disappearing in adults; a number of small irregular plates in front of and on base of pectorals; membranaceous in- tervals behind and around vent smaller than in Podothecus acipenserinus, occupied by 8 or 9 irregularly arranged plates, not in pairs and not cor- responding to those of the ventral series between which they are inter- ealated; medial part of branchiostegal membrane and the gular region covered with roundish plates, the whole forming a halberd-shaped patch; lateral line running on a series of small plates occupying the middle of the lateral face; anteriorly these entirely disappear, the lateral line ascending and running on the upper lateral series; about 5 large plates, sometimes bearing spines, lie behind upper axil of pectorals, between this ascending portion of the lateral line and the inferior lateral series or plates; head depressed, tapering rapidly to the snout; depth of head at occiput % its width at preopercular spine, the latter contained 64 times in length of body. Eye large, the orbit about equaling length of snout be- hind the serrated rostral ridge, 34 to 33 in head; snout somewhat vari- a i rE SS RE 2 2h * Diagnosis: Body tapering uniformly from occiput to caudal, a little more slender than Podothecus acipenserinus, depth about % of width at base of pectorals, the latter 72 to 72 in length; head 44. Plates in dorsal series 44 or 45; between occiput and first dorsal 5 or 6; between dorsals 6 or 7; from ventrals to anal 14 pairs. Six pairs of barbels, 1 on under side of snout in front of premaxillaries, 1 near and 2 at tip of maxillary, 1 at angle of mouth, and 1 at side of lower jaw. A pair of perpendicular serrated plates at tip of snout, behind these a curve nasal spine. One pair mesethmoidal, 1 pair supraocular, and 1 pair occipital spines. Teeth on jaws and vomer, none on palatines. Gill membranes joined to isthmus without free fold. ‘Last ray of each dorsal shortened and adnate to the back. Light grayish with a few indefinite blotches and bars of darker on sides and back; pectorals with several narrow dark cross bands near base and broader ones toward tip. 3030——53 2074 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. ending in a short strong spine; an inner pair of ridges occupying floor of interorbital groove, very broad and closely joined anteriorly; the triangular space included between these latter ridges flat and opening posteriorly onto the depressed occipital area; occipital ridges low, rounded, ending in very strong spines which form the first of the dorsal series; 2 or 3 small rounded projections may occur on anterior ridges of the occipital spines; top and sides of head more or less closely beset with very fine prickles, which are most thickly clustered on occiput, interorbital area, upper part of opercles, suborbital chain, and sides of snout; a row of prickles on eyeball just above pupil; temporal ridge uneven, sometimes interrupted with a long, strong posterior spine; a strong spine, sometimes with an accessory tubercle on middle of cheek; preorbital with 2 pairs of spines placed vertically, the upper ones di- rected outward and upward, the lower spines directed downward and backward; rostral ridges rough, usually terminating posteriorly in a pair of spinous projections, which are located midway between tip of snout and front of pupil; anteriorly, at tip of snout, these ridges expand to form such a vertically projecting rounded spinous lobe, the posterior spine of which is much the strongest, and points backward and outward. In the very young the last-mentioned spines alone are present on snout, and are directed very obliquely backward; anteriorly ridges converge from them to tip of snout, and are very minutely serrulate; these ridges afterward increase in height and in strength of serrations, and become the spinous lobes already described; two strong diverging spines at angle of preopercle, and 2 rounded lobes below them. Three large plates and a number of smaller ones occupy cheek below suborbital stay. Pos- terior portion of mandible expanded into a rough projecting bony promi- nence. Mouth horizontal, overpassed by the snout in adults fora distance equaling 4 or less than 4 diameter of orbit; snout not noticeably pro- jecting in the very young. Maxillary reaching slightly beyond front of orbit, equaling 4 length of snout and eye. Teeth in broad bands in jaws; a distinct patch on front of vomer, none on palatines. Branchios- tegal membranes broadly joined, with a very narrow free fold posteriorly, or with none. Six pairs of barbels on underside of head; 1 on under side of snout in front of premaxillaries; 2 at end of maxillary; 1 near mid- dle of maxillary; 1 on lower lip just below angle of mouth; 1 forked for 4 its length at middle of side of lower lip. In their distribution, rela- tive lengths, and in the constantly bifid character of the last described, they correspond exactly with the barbels of L. decagonus, but the latter has apparently none on under side of snout. Interspace between dorsals somewhat variable, ? to diameter of orbit. Anal beginning 2 plates in advance of second dorsal; pectorals 54 in length of body, the lower rays graduated, 4 to 6 of the lower ones thickened, with exserted tips; ven- tral fins nearly twice as long in males as in females, in the latter less than diameter of orbit; caudal slender, 1} in head. Color light grayish or brownish, pale below; a bluish black stripe from ventral spines to front of orbit; suborbital, preopercle, and opercle with numerous dark spots; able in length, averaging } head. Supraocular ridges strong, rugose, Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2075 a dark blotch on the side opposite middle of first dorsal; a faint dark bar under the anterior and a similar one under posterior part of second dorsal; both dorsals with indefinite oblique dark bands; pectorals dark except the lower proximal part, with narrow bars of black; ventrals light in female, dark in male; anal dark posteriorly; caudal dark, faintly barred. Coast of Alaska; known from Albatross Stations 3219, 3225, 3226, 3255, 3256, 3257, 3258, 3263, 3269, 3279, 3282, 3309, and 3330, located on both sides of the Peninsula of Alaska and both north and south of the Aleutian chain; depth 16 to 350 fathoms. (Gilbert); also obtained at Provostmaya, Kamehatka. (/frenatus, bridled.) Odontopyxis frenatus, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 435, pl. 30, fig. 3, Alaska and Aleutian Islands, at Albatross Stations 3215, 3219, and others, in 16 to 351 fathoms. 2420. SARRITOR LEPTORHYNCHUS (Gilbert). Head 4 in length; snout 2% in head in specimen 100 mm. long. Eye 31, equaling length of maxillary; interorbital with eye. Branchiostegal membranes broadly united, extensively free laterally, joined to isthmus mesially to extreme posterior margin, or leaving a very narrow margin free. Teeth present on jaws and on vomer, none on palatines. Dorsal VI to VIII, 6 or 7; anal 6 or 7; pectoral 14; ventral I, 2; pectorals long, reaching to or beyond middle of spinous dorsal, as long as snout and eye; ventrals equaling length of snout. Very close to 5. frenatus, with which it agrees in arrangement of plates, spines on head, and barbels; distin- guishable at once by the elongate slender snout and differing in the following numerous details: The body is somewhat broader and more depressed, its greatest depth a little less than } its greatest width, which occurs across preopercular spines. The body narrows rapidly backward to below spinous dorsal, as in young 8. frenatus of the same size. Com- pared with S. frenatus of the same size, the plates on body are much less spinous, the superior and inferior lateral and the ventral series in some specimens bearing spines on a few of the anterior plates only, and the spines of dorsal series are lower. Five plates before dorsal, 10 under spinous dorsal, 2 between dorsals, 7 under second dorsal, and 16 on caudal peduncle. The inferior lateral ridges rise anteriorly, greatly constricting the lateral face under anterior part of spinous dorsal. It then descends slightly and becomes almost or quite obsolete, the series of plates ending behind the upper pectoral rays. In 8S. frenatus, the constriction of the lateral face does not occur, the ridge is strongly marked anteriorly, and ends below middle of pectoral base. In S. leptorhynchus we have, there- fore, a much narrower interval between the anterior ends of the upper and the lower lateral series. This interval is occupied by but 3 plates, arranged in a series, decreasing in size backward. The upper preoper- cular and the humeral spines are much larger than in 8. frenatus, the former greatly overpassing the second spine. The rostral spines are simi- lar, but the terminal plate roughened but not serrate, the posterior spine not detached. Snout greatly produced into a narrow triangular piece which overpasses the mouth, for a distance equaling } diameter of orbit in ‘a specimen 100 mm. long. In specimens of S. frenatus of this length the 2076 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, ends of the rostrum can barely be seen from below. A few prickles present on upper side of rostrum, and the usual series above pupil. Minutely ser- rated ridges on sides of snout, and 1 below eye. No prickles on top or sides of head. Plates on branchiostegal membranes and on gular region smaller and more numerous than in S, frenatus. Twenty plates on breast, without spines, or the young with very small ones. Color darker than in S. frenatus, the under parts unmarked anteriorly, dotted posteriorly with brown; upper parts dark brown in spirits, with 6 or 7 more or less dis- tinct black bands, which are margined narrowly with lighter; a black streak forward from eye, and seyeral black spots and blotches on sides of head; caudal blackish; soft dorsal dusky, obscurely marked with lighter; spinous dorsal black, sharply blotched with pure white; ventrals and lower pectoral rays white, the upper part of pectorals with obscure bars of black. Coast of Alaska. A few specimens from Albatross Sta- tions 3215, 3219, 3259, and 3267, north and south of the Alaskan Peninsula, in 32 to 59 fathoms. (Gilbert.) (Aezros, slender; Avy yxos, snout.) Odontopyxis leptorhynchus, GILBERT, Rept. U. 8. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 437, Bering Sea, north of Alaska Peninsula, at Albatross Station 3267, lat. 55° 23’ 30’ N., long. 163° 29 W. (Type, No. 48727. Coll. Albatross.) 772. XYSTES, Jordan & Starks. Xystes, JORDAN & STARKS, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 824 (axinophrys). This genus is allied to Averruncus, differing in its shorter vertical fins, the rays of both dorsals being subequal, the last of each not much shortened and not adnate by membrane to the skin of the back; the lower rays of the pectoral progressively shortened; plates on body very rough, the spines strong; a strong knife-like spine above eye; no barbels; no pit at the occiput. North Pacific. (€vdr7s, one that scrapes. ) 2421, XYSTES AXINOPHRYS, Jordan & Starks. Head 34 in length of body; depth 5. D. IX, 8; A. 10; pectoral 15; lateral line 38; orbit 4 in head; snout to tip of rostral spines 3); max- illary 3}; interorbital 34; pectoral 14; highest dorsal spine 2}; highest dorsal ray 2; highest anal ray 23; length of caudal finl}. Body elongate, subeylindrical, deepest and broadest at shoulders; belly prominent; dorsal outline straight from first dorsal spine to caudal fin, curved up anteriorly to occiput. Head very irregular, much broken by large spines; mouth inferior, rather broad, maxillary reaching to the vertical from front of orbit; lips thin, not broken up into papillw; upper jaw protractile; teeth small, in villiform bands on jaws, vomer, and palatines; the anterior edge of premaxillary directly under the base of rostral spines; a few very small blunt papille behind chin, a barbel at end of maxillary, not } so long as diameter of pupil. A pair of sharp rostral spines pointing forward and upward; behind these a pair of curved spines pointing upward, outward, and backward; between these and behind the rostral spines an almost circular pit which is entirgly occupied by the upper end of the premaxillary process; interorbital wide and concave, a shght median ridge, running from the rostral pit to a poimt above pupil, each Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 2077 side of which is an outwardly curved ridge ending in a minute spine; over each eye is the largest spine on the head or body; the large trian- gular orbital spine, its base occupying nearly the whole space above eye, Sharp and strongly hooked back; on the anterior part of its base a small, sharp, preorbital spine, pointing upward; a series of minute spines, running medially along the top of the head and body, from a point between the orbital spines to the first dorsal spine; on each side of these are 2 large blunt spines with traces of a smaller one between them, con- tinuous with the dorsal keels of body; farther down and continuous with the upper lateral keel of body is a ridge broken up into 4 irregular spines, larger than the body spines; 4 triangular spines on edge of preopercle, the upper one the largest; a very irregular ridge running from upper preopercular spine, under eye, to snout; a ridge on upper part of opercle. Body with 4 ridges on each side, formed by the scales, each of which ends in a spine; traces of a ridge between lateral ridges, the spines on abdominal ridges as sharp as those on rest of body; a Y-shaped ridge of spines in front of ventrals, the forks toward the ventrals and the base ending at gill membrane; a raised area between ventral fins, run- ning from their base to their tips, which is entirely covered with small prickles, the anus in the posterior end of this; dorsal and abdominal ridges coalescing with their fellows of the opposite side, but coming together so gradually that it is impossible to tell exactly where they unite as the spines continue distinct to the caudal fin. Small spines covering the outer part of the base of the pectoral; a ring of spines around caudal base; occiput abruptly higher than body, but scarcely forming a pit as body is about level behind it. Spinous dorsal highest in front, the second spine reaching to base of last spine when fin is depressed; the dorsal rays subequal in length, the last not shortened and not adnate to body, last ray reaching to the tenth plate before caudal fin; pectoral fin _ posteriorly rounded in outline, the lower rays not produced, reaching to second plate before anal fin; ventrals small, reaching just past vent; anal longer and lower than soft dorsal; dorsal and anal ending at the same corresponding place; caudal fin rounded behind. Color in spirits, gray with’7 or 8 dark cross bars; head uniform gray with the exception of a dark spot at occiput; belly dusky; dorsals somewhat mottled; anal black with a white spot near its middle; pectorals white with a large black spot on base of rays; ventral black, abruptly white at tips; caudal black, edged with white. Puget Sound. One specimen, 14 inches in length, dredged at Port Orchard, near Seattle. (Jordan & Starks.) Another since taken at Port Ludlow. (cézv7, an ax; d¢pvs, eyebrow.) Xystes axinophrys, JORDAN & STARKS, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 824, pl. 92, Port Orchard, Admiralty Inlet. (Coll. E. C. Starks.) 773. BATHYAGONUS, Gilbert. Bathyagonus, GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., x1, 1890, 89 (nigripinnis). Spinous dorsal developed; lower jaw the longer; plates of body spinous; gill membranes united to isthmus, not forming a fold across it; teeth well developed on jaws, yomer, and palatines; pectorals not notched, the 2078 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. upper rays longest, the lower becoming regularly shortened; bones of head thin and yielding, the system of mucous canals very strongly developed, Deep-sea Agonoids. (fahvs, deep; Agonus.) 2422. BATHYAGONUS NIGRIPINNIS,* Gilbert. B.6;1D.6to8; 2 D.6o0r7; A.7 to9; P. 15 or 16; V.3 (1, 2); C. 1-11-1; ver- tebre 11-+4+ 34— (45). Pyloric cea 5 (1 individual). Body depressed throughout, depth 4 of width, the latter 9? in body length; sharply octag- onal, tail strongly depressed hexagonal, its lateral faces very narrow. The ridges compressed; the small sharp spines present on all the ridges from head to caudal except on the median ventral series of peduncle and the first few plates behind the pectoral in the imperfect lateral series. One to 3 pairs of plates between last ray of second dorsal and first median plate, and 1 or 2 pairs between last anal ray and first median plate; 1 or 2 plates in front of and 4 or 5 small, sharply spinous plates on base of pec- torals; about 22 plates, radially striate, elevated at the center, some of the strongest minutely spinous, on breast in a median and 2 lateral rows (the latter continuous with the ventrolateral series) and in the ridge-like rows forming the edges of breast; no plates medially on posterior part of the branchiostegal membrane or laterally on the anterior part; from 1 to 3 or 4 well-developed plates on front part of lower side of lower jaw; the membranaceous interval behind vent, between the ventrolateral series, occupied by about 5 to 9 plates, partly arranged in pairs; none between ventrals and vent. Head 4% to 5 in bedy, much depressed, its greatest depth 4 of its greatest width, the latter equaling width of body; snout broad, flat, shovel-like, nearly equal to long diameter of orbit; orbit oblong-oval, its vertical diameter ? of the longitudinal, the latter 3 or a little less in head; interorbital space concaye, about as in triacanthus, but broader, with a pair of minor longitudinal ridges, about 9 in head, about 2 in vertical diameter of orbit; the moderate supraocular ridges ending in a sharp spine, the scarcely developed occipital ridges with 2 pairs, of which the anterior is low and blunt; the well-developed temporal ridge with 2 or 3 small spines and terminating in a larger suprascapular spine; bridge across cheek close under orbit with about 1 spine on preorbital, 3 on suborbital, and ending in 1 on preopercle; 1 of about the same size below the last on preopercle. Cheek below ridge with 2 to 4 (usually 3) spinous plates; nasal spines small, sharp, directed backward; movable median rostral plate small, varying in size and shape (disappearing with the prolongation of lower jaw), its lateral expansions usually free, as spines; 3 small upright diverging spines (only 2 systematically placed in 1 specimen). Mouth oblique, lower jaw somewhat protruding, maxillary scarcely reaching front of orbit. Teeth moderate, present on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Two barbels, 1 large and the other small, at tip of maxil- * Diagnosis: Body slender, tapering uniformly, depressed throughout, its depth 4 of its width at base of pectorals, the latter 92 in length; head 42 to5in length. Plates in the dorsal series 43 or 44; between occiput and first dorsal 7 or 8; between dorsals 6, some- times 7; between ventrals and anal 13 to15 pairs. Lower jaw protruding; 2 barbels at tip of each maxillary; median rostral plate present, with 3 small diverging spines; nasal spines small, separate; 1 pair supraocular and 2 pairs occipital spines. Gill membranes joined to isthmus. Under side dusky, lighter above; all the fins blue black. Jordan and Evermann,—Fishes of North America, 2079 lary, none on lower jaw, the mucous pores bordered by lobed flaps. Gill membranes broadly united, joined to isthmus, without free fold. Dorsal fins well separated; anal beginning about 3 plates in front of beginning of second dorsal; pectorals 5% in body, their base 34 in their length, with 15 or 16 graduated rays, the uppermost longest; ventrals of male nearly 3 in head, about equal to long diameter of orbit, those of female 7 to § as long as those of male ; caudal about 3 times as long as wide at base. Lat- eral line with 43 or 44 pores; plates spineless, rather large. In a young male 2 inches long the median rostral plate is absent, all the plates on breast sharply ridged and spinous ; vent near tip of ventrals, + of the dis- tance from ventrals to anal, with 5 pairs of mjnute spinous plates between ventrals and vent. Body not tapering uniformly; broader in front, nar- rowing abruptly near front of first dorsal; tail not so much depressed ; head 31 in body length, Color light above, blue black on under side of head; breast and belly dusky ; all the fins intensely blue black. Pacific; known from the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea, south to coast of Washing- ton; abundant in 350 to 477 fathoms. Here described from Dr. Gilbert’s types. Dr. Gilbert observes: In adult specimens the lower pectoral rays show a tendency to elongate, as in Xenochi- rus, but the fin is never distinctly notched. ‘The lower jaw always strongly protrudes, and the genus differs further in the very thin cranial bones and the inordinate develop- ment of the mucous system. In addition to the specific characters mentioned in the original description, we note that the eyeball does not exhibit the usual row of prickles and that 2 barbels are usually present at end of maxillary, either black or white in color. The majority of the specimens were obtained north of Unalaska Island, but it was also taken south of the Islands, and off the coast of Washington, at Albatross Stations 3210, 3316, 3324, 3325, 3329, 3330, 3331, 3337, and 3343; depths 109 to 483 fathoms. (niger, black; pinna, fin.) Bathyagonus nigripinnis, GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1890, 89, Aleutian Islands and coast of Washington. (Coll. Albatross.) 774. XENOCHIRUS, Gilbert. Xenochirus, GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. x11, 1890, 90 (triacanthus). Spinous dorsal present. Jaws equal or the upper the longer. Plates of body spinous. Gill membranes united to isthmus, the posterior edge sometimes forming a very narrow free fold across throat. Tip of snout with a movable median plate or spine. Teeth well developed on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Pectorals divided by a deep notch into 2 portions, the lower composed of greatly thickened rays which are simple and fre- quently longer than those of the upper lobe, these lengthened rays not usually developed in the young. A series of small spines on eyeball above pupil. North Pacific. This genus is very close to Bathyagonus which represents it in deeper water. Both are near Odontopyxis, but the relation to Averruncus and Sarritor is more remote. (Eevos, strange; Xézp, hand. ) a. Rostral plate with 3 upright spines. b. Breast with numerous plates. PENTACANTHUS, 2423. bb. Breast smooth; plates of body rougher. ALASCANUS, 2424. aa. Rostral plate with 1 upright spine. c. Gill membrane with posterior free fold. LATIFRONS, 2425. ec. Gill membrane without posterior free fold. TRIACANTHUS, 2426. 2080 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 2425. XENOCHIRUS PENTACANTHUS,* Gilbert. B.6;1D.5to7; 2 D.5to7; A.6to8; P.140r15; V.3 (I, 2); C. 1-12-1; ver- tebra 12+ 28=— (40). Pyloric ceca 5 (1 individual). Body 8-hedral, slightly depressed; peduncle considerably depressed, hexagonal, the lat- eral faces narrow. Spines of body small and sharp, projecting backward nearly parallel with axis of body, decreasing gradually in size from head to caudal in the dorsolateral and superior lateral series, poorly developed on the inferior lateral series only from behind the pectoral to opposite front of anal, entirely absent from the ventrolateral series. Plates on breast, 2 pairs in front of ventrals, followed anteriorly by 3 median single plates; on each side of these‘a longitudinal row of 4 or 5 smaller plates, continuous with the ventrolateral series; outside of these the plates form- ing the edge of the breast. Branchiostegal membrane posteriorly with 3 or more very weak plates medially, or none at all; none on the mem- branes laterally; 2 or 3 fairly developed ones in front part of under side of lower jaw; the membrane behind vent studded with several poorly developed plates, none between ventrals and vent. Head as in_X. latifrons, but more depressed and slender; snout not quite so short, blunt; greatest depth of head } of its width, the latter 7 in length of body; orbits large, oval, their longitudinal diameter 2} in head; a slightly curved row of 4 or 5 backwardly directed small spines on eyeball just above pupil; inter- orbital space deeply concave, with minor ridges very narrow, about 3} in long diameter of eye, 9 in head; a single pair of supraocular spines; the poorly developed occipital ridges with 2 pairs of spines, of which the anterior is very low and blunt; temporal ridges moderate, terminating in a blunt spine; the interrupted ridge across cheek less prominent and shelf- like than in X. latifrons, bearing 1 spine (sometimes 2) in front of anterior inferior angle of orbit, 1 or 2 on suborbital, and a single broad flat spine (sometimes preceded by a very small one) at posterior edge of preopercle; cheek below ridge entering into ventral surface of head with a longitudinal series of 3 or 4 plates; nasal spines sharp, far apart; median rostral plate small, movable, variable, its lateral expansions exposed as spines and with 3 (in 1 specimen 4) diverging spines directed upward and backward; not projecting beyond premaxillaries; maxillary reaching very little beyond front of orbit, entirely covered by preorbital. Jaws equal; teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Two barbels at tip of each maxillary; those on under side of mandible inconstant; occasionally a very small pair near tip of jaw, at the 2 ends of the terminal mucous pore; another at edge of next mucous pore nearly constant, but very variable, long, short, or only a small pimple, single, double, or even a pair on each side; occasionally a very small one at edge of third pore. Dorsal fins separated by a moderate * Diagnosis: Body slightly depressed, its depth a little less than its width, tapering moderately, and the tail tapering more gradually toward the caudal; width of body at base of pectorals 7 in length; head 44; plates in dorsal series 39; from occiput to first dor- sal 7 or 8, between dorsals 5 or 6, from ventrals to anal 12 or 13 pairs; barbels 2 at tip of maxillary, those on lower jaw inconstant, usually 2 pairs. Median rostral plate small, nearly vertical, with 3 upright spines; nasal spines prominent, separated; 1 pair of supra- ocular and 1 pair of occipital spines. Teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines; gill membranes joined to isthmus without free fold. Brownish olive above, pale below; 4 or 5 dusky cross bars on back. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2081 space; first dorsal with 5 to 7, usually 6 spines; anal begins 2 or 3 plates in front of second dorsal; pectorals 6} in length of body, their base 3 in their length, the lower 5 or 6 rays exserted, separated from the upper by a notch in the adult, the 2 or 3 uppermost of the exserted rays sometimes longer than the longest upper rays; ventrals of female a little less than long diameter of orbit, } as long as in male; caudal 3 times as long as wide at base; lateral line 39 to 41; pore plates thin, weak, spineless. Color olive brownish, pale below, with 5 faint cross bars, 1 beneath first dorsal, 1 between dorsals, 1 beneath posterior part of second dorsal running up on fin, 2 on peduncle; these bars often indistinet or absent; a blackish blotch in axil; caudal black, narrowly edged with white; dorsals dusky, darker toward tips, second dorsal narrowly white-edged; pectorals dusky ; short, black streaks on rays forming indefinite cross bars, those at base aggre- gated into a blotch; ventrals light in both sexes. Length 7 inches. Deep waters of North Pacific, Bering Sea to San Diego, in 70 to 339 fathoms. Here described from Dr. Gilbert’s types. (zévre, five; &xavha, spine.) Xenochirus pentacanthus, GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1890, 91, Bering Sea and off San Diego. (Coll. Albatross.) 2424. XENOCHIRUS ALASCANUS, Gilbert. Head 43 to 42 in length; width of head equaling or slightly exceeding length of snout and eye. Depth of body equaling length of snout and 4 eye. Fin rays in 8 specimens as follows: Spinous dorsal. Soft dorsal. | Anal. | ee | Specimens ........... | 1 VI. VII. Gana eka 7. 8. | . 3 | . 2 | 7 | fl | Pectoral 15 or 16. Ventral I,2. Lateral line 39 or 40. A decided pit behind the eyes, and a deep transverse nuchal depression, the two separ- ated by the prominent occipital region. Snout of moderate length, much depressed behind the spines, 32 to 32 in head. Eye 3 in head in adults. Interorbital space wider, much more deeply concave, the supraocular ridges very heavy, minutely roughened, ending posteriorly in robust spines. Rostral spines as in XY. pentacanthus. A small apical plate bear- ing 3 small diverging spines, behind which are 2 longer ones. Preor- bital with a small spinous point directed backwards. A spine posteriorly on bony bridge across cheek. Below this bridge, the cheek is entirely mailed by 3 rounded plates which bear no spines, except in the young, and so intimately joined that the sutures are difficult to discover. In X. pentacanthus the plates are much smaller and do not entirely cover the cheeks, leaving soft areas surrounding them; the 2 posterior plates in this species also bear spines. Mavxillary 3? in head, barely reaching front of orbit. Teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines, the usual row of 5 or 6 prickles on eyeball. Preopercle with 3 diverging spines at angle, a rounded lobe beneath them; spines and ridges otherwise as in YX. penta- 2082 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. canthus, but stronger and rougher; 5 or 4 strong plates present on gular membrane; a few weak ones or none on branchiostegal membrane mesially. Two barbels at tip of each maxillary, and a pair, often double, on under side of mandible arising from the margin of the anterior pair of mandibular pores. The symphyseal pore has its margin sometimes pro- vided with very short barbel-like elevations. Space between dorsal ridges very deeply concave in front of dorsal fins; the single ridge behind dorsal fins provided with very short, scarcely preceptible, double spines; lower lateral series of plates continued forward to axil of pectorals, becoming indistinet in X. pentacanthus; ventral series anteriorly with few short spines or none, this series strongly spined in X. pentacanthus; plates on breast arranged alike in the 2 species, but in X. alascanus they are more finely striate, and bear neither spines nor raised centers, except in very young examples. In_X. pentacanthus the elevated centers may or may not bear short spines. Seven plates before dorsal, 8 or 9 under spinous dorsal, 2 or 3 between dorsals, 7 or 8 under soft dorsal, 15 or 14 behind dorsals. Distance from snout to nape equaling or slightly exceeding that from nape to first dorsal. Front of anal under end of spinous dorsal or slightly behind that point, more anteriorly placed than in X. pentacanthus. Ven- trals 24 to 2% in head. Lower pectoral rays produced, with incised mem- branes as long as head behind rostral spines. Color lighter than in X. pentacanthus, more or less finely speckled above, usually with 5 or 6 dusky cross bars on back; a series of linear dark blotches below the lateral line; head often finely speckled with brown, and showing traces of a brown bar forward from eye to snout; dorsals, caudal, and upper half of pec- toral light, finely speckled with brown, the caudal shaded with dusky; ventrals and anal white. Most nearly related to X. pentacanthus with which it agrees in having a rostral plate bearing 3 spines and in the absence of a free fold to branchiostegal membranes. It differs conspicu- ously in the broader head, with its much heavier spines and ridges, in the presence of deep postocular and nuchal pits, in the smooth breast and cheeks, in adults in the different coloration and fin rays, and in many other different details. Aleutian Islands; taken rather abundantly in the vicinity of Unimak Pass, both north and south of the islands, at depths of 56 to 138 fathoms. (Gilbert.) Taken by us off Karluk. (alas- canus, pertaining to Alaska.) Xenochirus alascanus, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 4838, Unimak Pass Aleutian Islands. (Coll. Albatross.) 2425. XENOCHIRUS LATIFRONS,* Gilbert. Be Geel) e GeOraie ea) sit eAGwl MOLIS allan OTe Ds) Veeto a (lee) iy salah sles vertebrae 12+29—(41). Body as deep as wide, 8-hedral; caudal pe- *Diagnosis: Body slender, tapering uniformly from head to caudal; depth equaling width, the latter at base of pectorals 8} in length; head 43. Plates in dorsal series 37 to 40; between occiput and first dorsal 6, occasionally 7; between dorsals 4 or 5; from ven- trals to anal 13 or 14 pairs. One large barbel at tip ef maxillary, 1 pair near tip of lower jaw, at edges of terminal mucous pore, and 1 at edge of next pore. Median rostral plate present, with a single upright spine. Nasal spines prominent, separated; 1 pair supra- ocular and 2 pairs occipital spines. Teeth in jaws, vomer, and palatines. Gill membranes joined to isthmus, with narrow free fold behind. Dusky olive, paler below; 5 or 6 indis- tinct dark cross bars; spinous dorsal with black margin. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2083 duncle depressed, 6-hedral. The thin, sharp, curved spines present on all the ridges; on the dorsolateral and superior lateral series, from head to caudal; on the inferior lateral series, from opposite front end of first dorsal to base of caudal; and on ventrolateral series, from base of pectorals to a short distance in front of anal; 2 pairs of plates between last ray of second dorsal and first median plate, and 2 pairs between last anal ray and first median plate; about 23 oval, striated plates with raised centers on breast; no plates on branchiostegal mem- brane; 2 or 3 anteriorly on under side of mandible; a small plate or none in front of pectorals. Membrane behind vent with 6 to 9 small plates arranged in pairs, none between ventrals and vent. Head de- pressed, its depth § of width, the latter (across preopercles) 7 in lengvh of body; snout short, blunt. Orbits large, oval, the vertical diameter % of the longitudinal diameter, the latter 24 in head; 3 to 5 small, back- wardly directed spines in a slightly curved line on eyeball just above pupil. Interorbital space very narrow, 7 in head, deeply concaye, with 2 minute longitudinal ridges. Supraocular ridges with 1 spine, the poorly developed occipital ridges with 2, of which the anterior is much the smaller; the interrupted suborbital ridge close under orbit, wel] developed, with 2 spines on suborbital and 1 on preopercle; no plates on lower part of cheek, which enters ventral surface of head; nasal spines sharp, far apart; median rostral plate small, its lateral expansions em- bedded in the skin, a single, small, median, curved, upright spine. Max- illary reaching slightly beyond front of orbit; lower jaw a very little included; well developed teeth in several rows on jaws, vomer, and palatines. A single long barbel at tip of maxillary; a small pair at ends of the terminal mucous pore, near the tip of lower jaw, and another just behind this at the edge of the next pore, the former sometimes, the latter frequently, bifid or a pair on each side. Dorsals fairly separated; second dorsal higher than first; anal beginning about 1 plate in front of second dorsal; pectorals 64 in length of body, their base nearly 3 in their length, with 14 or 15 rays, the lower exserted, separated by a notch from the upper rays in adult, the 3 or 4 uppermost of these as long as or longer than the longest upper rays; ventrals of female a little less than long diameter of orbit, } as long as those.of male; caudal broad and short, its width at base a little more than 2 in its length. Lateral line with 39 or 40 pores; the plates small, spineless. Color, dusky olive, light below, the back with 5 or 6 faint darker cross bars; axillary region blackish, soft dorsal and caudal with the rays black; spinous dorsal with a conspicuous jet- black margin; pectorals somewhat dusky above; ventrals pale in both sexes. Total length reaches 74 inches. Deep waters of the North Pacific; coast of Oregon to San Diego and outward; abundant in 50 to 204 fathoms. Here described from Dr. Gilbert’s types. (latus, wide; frons, forehead. ) Xenochirus latifrons, GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1890, 92, off Coast of Oregon and @ off San Diego. (Coll. Albatross. ) 2084 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, 2426. XENOCHIRUS TRIACANTHUS,* Gilbert. B..6;,.1-D..5 or 6; 2 D.6 ort; AG Pid: -V.3 (1, 2); Coi-fl-f) Body depressed throughout its length, sharply octagonal, peduncle hexagonal; the sharp, delicate spines present on all the ridges from head to caudal, except the first few plates on the inferior lateral, and on the ventrolateral from a short distance in front of anal to caudal; one pair of plates between last ray of second dorsal and first median plate (the first 8 median plates sometimes each with a pair of closely approximated spines) and 1 pair between last anal ray and first median plate; about 25 radially striated plates on breast, 5 or 6 small ones on posterior part of gill membranes in front of breast, 1 on each side anteriorly, and 3 or 4 well-developed plates on front part of under side of mandible; intervals between ventrolateral behind vent with 12 to 15 small plates, mostly in pairs, none between ventrals and vent. Head more depressed and elongate than in X. pentacan- thus and latifrons, its depth $ in width, the latter 8? in length of body; snout elongate triangular, nearly equal to long diameter of orbit. Orbits oval, the vertical ? of the longitudinal diameter, the latter 3 in head; a shghtly curved row of 3 to 5 spines on eyeball above pupil. Interorbital space narrow, concave, without minor ridges, 9 in head. Supraocular ridges ending in a sharp spine; occipital low, with 2 pairs of spines, of which the anterior is low and blunt. Temporal moderate, ending in a sharp suprascapular spine; suborbital ridge moderate, close under orbit, with 1 spine on suborbital and ending in 1 at edge of preopercle; below the latter spine, another, broadly triangular; 3 or 4 well-developed spineless plates on lower part of cheek, which enters into ventral surface of head; nasal spines strong, sharp, far apart; median rostral plate small, movable, shghtly overhanging, premaxillary (its lateral expansions as free spines) bearing a single upright spine; lower jaw a little included, maxillary not reaching orbit. Barbels probably varying much, for they differ markedly on the 2 sides of the jaw in the single specimen examined. Dorsals well separated; anal beginning about 1 plate behind the beginning of second dorsal; pectorals 53 in length of body, their base ;3; of their length, with 13 rays, the 4 lower exserted, separated from the rest by a notch, the 2 upper of these 4 longer than any of the other rays; ventrals of male 24 in head (in female probably shorter) ; width of caudal at base 24 in its length. Color olivaceous, with traces of darker cross bars on back, fins light or somewhat dusky, rays dark; ventrals pale in both sexes. Descrip- tion taken from Dr. Gilbert’s type. Total length reaches 7 inches. Coast of California to coast of Oregon, in 47 to 204 fathoms; a specimen also taken off Point Reyes in 75 fathoms. (rpeis, three; «xav6a, spine.) Xenochirus triacanthus, GILBERT, Proc.U.S. Nat. Mus. 1890, 91, coast of California, at Alba- tross Station 2893, in 145 fathoms; JORDAN & STARKS, Proce. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 827, pl. 93. * Diagnosis: Body tapering uniformly from head to caudal, its depth + of width at base of pectorals, the latter 83 in length; head 5 or a little less. Plates in dorsal series 39; between occiput and first dorsal 7; between dorsals 5; between ventrals and anal 15 pairs. Two barbels at tip of each maxillary, 1 pair at edge of the terminal mucous pore on undeg side of mandible, 1 at edge of next pore, and 1 at edge of third pore. Median rostral plate with a single upright spine. Nasal spines prominent; 1 pair supraocular and 2 pairs occipital spines. ‘Teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Gill membranes joined to isth- mus, without free fold. Olivaceous, with traces of darker cross bars; fins light, the rays darker. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2085 775. ODONTOPYXIS, Lockington. Odontopyxis, LOCKIN@TON, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., U1, 1879, 328 (trispinosus) . Body very slender, depressed, tapering uniformly from head to caudal; head 3} to 44, the width of body 6 to 7, depth 6 to 8 in length of body. A deep pit behind occiput with a longitudinal ridge inits bottom; plates in dorsal series 35 to 40; both dorsal fins present; 4 (3) rays in first, 6 (7) in second; teeth numerous on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Gill membranes broadly joined to isthmus, without free fold; a single upright spine on median rostral plate; supraocular spines small, sharp; 2 pairs of blunt occipital spines or tubercles. (odo0vs, tooth; 1vézs, box.) 2427. ODONTOPYXIS TRISPINOSUS,* Lockington. B. 6; 1 D. 4 (occasionally 3); 2 D. 6 (occasionally 7); A.5 to 7; P. 14; V. 3 (1,2); C. 1-11-1 (sometimes 1-10-1); pyloric ceca 5 to 7 (1 or 2 very small; 3 individuals). Body octagonal, the faces a little concave; spines small, sharp, present on the dorsolateral and superior lateral series nearly from head to caudal; a few very weak ones on inferior lateral; none on ven- trolateral series; about 3 long, sharp spines on each side of base of candal on the terminal plates. Two or 3 pairs of plates between last ray of second dorsal and first median plate, and 1 or 2 pairs between last anal ray and first median plate; 18 to 20 quite large, radially striated plates on breast, 6 or 7 of varying size in front of, and several minute spinous ones on base of pectorals; 3 or 4 strong plates on median part of gill membranes pos- teriorly, i to 3 on each side in front, 3 or 4 on under side of jaw, so that the whole of under side of head is well armored; 1 or 2 plates between ventrals and vent, the latter surrounded by small tubercles. Head some- what depressed, its depth j; of its width, the latter 7 in length of body; orbits nearly circular, the longitudinal diameter about 33 in head; a few minute spines on eyeball above pupil; snout pointed, equal to orbit; interorbital space concave, narrow, § of longitudinal diameter of eye; occipital and temporal ridges weak. A deep transverse pit behind occi- put, broader in front, its bottom divided longitudinally by the cranial ridge above the foramen magnum; suborbital ridge moderate, 1 spine on preorbital, and a very blunt flat one at posterior edge of opercle; 1 or 2 blunt flat projections below the latter spine; opercle with a ridge and 3 to 7 or 8 minute spines or prickles along its posterior border. Cheek below suborbital ridge entering into ventral surface of head, with 2 or 3 well- developed plates; several small plates in a longitudinal series behind orbit, above suborbital and preopercle, the highly movable median rostral plate with a single upright spine, its lateral expansions free, in *Diagnosis: Body tapering uniformly from head to caudal, depressed, its depth about § of its width (at base of pectorals), the latter 7 in length of body. Head 43; a deep pit behind occiput, with a longitudinal ridge in its bottom. Plates in the dorsal series 35 to 37; between occiput and first dorsal 6 (occasionally 7) pairs; between dorsals 5 (occasion- ally 6); between ventrals and anal 12 or 13 pairs; teeth numerous on jaws, vomer, and palatines. One small barbel_at tip of maxillary; gill membranes broadly joined to isthmus, without free fold. Median rostral plate with a single upright spine; nasal spines separated; supraocular spines small, sharp; 2 pairs of occipital in the form of low, blunt tubercles. Color olivaceous, with 6 or 7 darker cross bars. 2086 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. form of small spines, slightly overhanging premaxiliaries. Jaws equal, maxillary reaching front of orbit. Dorsals well separated; anal beginning about 1 pair of plates behind front of second dorsal; pectorals 54 to 54 in ‘length of body, the base about 3 in their length, with 14 rays, of which the lower 5 to 7 are exserted, the depth of the notches in the membrane variable, the 2 or 35 uppermost of these exserted rays nearly as long (some- times as long) as the longest upper rays; ventral fins of female about twice the interorbital space, about $ of the ventrals of male; width of caudal at base 3 in the length. Lateral line 36. Color olivaceous, with 7 or 8 darker cross bars—1 in front of first dorsal, 1 under and extending into middle of first dorsal, 1 under front, and 1 under hind end of second dorsal, and 3 or 4 on caudal peduncle; a large bluish-black blotch on preopercle and opercle; first dorsal dark, the distal 4 white; second dorsal with 2 minute indefinite cross bars of darker; caudal dark at base, a broad dark band near its distal end, and the tip broadly white-edged; pectorals light, indistinctly cross-barred by series of dark streaks on the rays; ventrals pale in both sexes. Length about 3inches. Coast of Cali- fornia, from Puget Sound to Santa Barbara; rather common in 11 to 57 fathoms. Here described from specimens taken off Point Reyes, where it is abundant. One specimen recorded by Lockington (loc. cit.) as having come from Alaska. (tres, three; spinosus, spined.) Odontopyxis trispinous, LOCKINGTON, Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus., 11, 1879, 328, San Francisco, California (Coll. W. N. Lockington) ; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 729, 1883; JORDAN, Cat. Fishes N. A., 114, 1885. 776. BOTHRAGONUS, Gill. Bothragonus, GIL MS., in JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 728, 1883 (swanii). Head and front of back rhombic as seen from above; body strongly compressed behind; length of head 3, width of head 2, depth of body about 42 in standard length. A deep pit at nape, several processes extending into it from its. posterior edge. Mouth subinferior; posterior edge of opercle serrated. Both dorsals and anal weak, with short rays; anal under second dorsal; first dorsal 5; second dorsal5; anal 3; no spines anywhere. Teeth on jaws and vomer (state of palatines not mentioned). Gill membranes broadly united to isthmus. (/09p0s, a pit; Agonus.) 2428. BOTHRAGONUS SWANITL (Steindachner). B.5; D.III,5; A. 5; P. 12; V. 3 (1,2); lateral line 32. Head widening rapidly backward from the blunt snout, with 4 broad, low (occipital and temporal) ridges, between which the surfaces are concave. Body narrow- ing rapidly from head to beginning of first dorsal, from there to caudal strongly compressed, A deep transverse oval pit on mid-dorsal surface between occiput and nape; 3 delicate larger and several smaller proc- esses extending into it from its posterior edge to about its middle. Length of head 3, its greatest breadth (over opercles) about 2£; depth of body under first dorsal about 42, from the occipital pit to base of ventrals Jordan and Evermann,—Fishes of North America, 2087 a little more than 3 in length of body. Interorbital space slightly more than 1 of head; snout 4; width of mouth about 3, orbit about 53 in head. Snout rounded anteriorly, longitudinally arched, rising knob-like before the flat forehead, and extending a little beyond mouth, the latter broader at its angles than long, these a little in front of middle of eye. Teeth on jaws and vomer in several series, very small, conical, blunt at tips; plates on cheeks raised into tubercles; posteriorly the transversely flat- tened forehead is separated by a slightly curved, very low ridge from the occipital region; plates surrounding the occipital pit in part large and polygonal; last plate of head, above posterior end of opercle, extending outward as a broad, low pyramid; small bony plates embedded in skin on underside of head; preopercle spineless; edge of opercle scalloped and serrated. First dorsal beginning about middle of body; space between dorsals equaling stance from center of eye to tip of snout; spines of first dorsal but little shorter than rays of second dorsal; both dorsals and anal rounded; caudai about 2 in head, slightly rounded; base of large pecto- ral reaching to ventral surface, its longest ray 15 in head; ventrals some distance behind pectorals, about 2 in the latter; distance between base of ventrals and front of anal a little more than the head; anal pit some distance behind base of ventrals. Plates of lateral line flat, those of remaining series considerably larger and elevated at their centers, forming 4 series of blunt processes or ridges; 14 pairs of plates between ventrals and anal, 5 between hinder edge of occipital pit and first dorsal (6 from occiput to first dorsal); 7 between second dorsal and caudal; ventral surface narrowing rapidly from head to anal and anteriorly convex, pos- teriorly flat. A blackish-gray cross band surrounds the head, wreath-like, its outlines indefinite in places, passing transversely across forehead and from lower edge of orbit completely around edge of mouth; band ~ under first dorsal passing obliquely forward to near insertion of ventrals; the next band falling between the dorsals, and the third under second dorsal; both are vertical; pectorals with a narrow dark cross bar at base and «much broader marbled one occupying nearly the whole distal half of fin; ventrals with 3 or 4 bands of dark spots; on both dorsals and anal oblique cross bars of dark spots; caudal with numerous cross bars of dark spots, which increase in intensity of color distally and flow together and leave isolated spots of lighter; ground color of body light yellowish with a tinge of brownish. Length of the single specimen 1 inch 11 lines; found dead on the beach after astorm. (After Steindachner.) The fol- lowing points may be added from the 4 excellent figures: The ventro- lateral series lie entirely on ventral surface of body anteriorly and meet in front of vent; 2 pairs of plates between ventrals and vent; a single plate between bases of ventrals, 4 plates in pairs in front of them on breast, and these preceded by 2 single plates; 10 or 12 rather small plates in about 3 rows in front of base of pectorals; several plates on lower part of cheek and a longitudinal series of them behind orbit, above suborbital and preopercle. Puget Sound; known from single speci- men. This species has been erroneously referred to the genus Hypsago- nus, because of its short compressed body and peculiar form of head. 2088 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. A very careful comparison of the description and the excellent figures with Odontopyxis trispinosus, Lockington, with which Steindachner was probably not acquainted, makes it evident that in spite of its aberrant form, the Hypsagonus swanii is more closely related to it than to any other known species. There is in reality no point of resemblance to H. quadricornis except the shortness of the body and the compressed condition of its posterior part. In all of the following points, some of which Steindachner mentioned as differences between his species and H, quadricornis, B. swanit agrees with O. trispinosus: Both dorsals and anal small; the distance of the first dorsal from nape and the distance between dorsals (measured by the number of plates); the deep pit at nape; posi- tion of vent, with 1 or 2 pairs of plates between it and the base of the ventrals; 2 or 3 series of small plates between -base of pectoral and gill opening; small plates on gill membranes and lower jaw; the longitudinal series of small plates behind orbit; the coloration, ete. The only known specimen was less than 2 inches (50 mm.) long and was doubtless a young one. The most marked characters which distinguish Bb. swanii from Odontopyxis are the shortness of the body, the wideness of the body in front, and the compression of the tail; all are characters which distinguish the young from the adult in all species of the family in which the young have been seen and described, except that here these characters seem exaggerated. (Named for James G. Swan, of Port Townsend, Washing- ton, a veteran observer and collector. ) Hypsagonus swanii, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitriige, v, 144, pl. 4, Sitzb. der Akad. Wiss., LXXIV, July, 1876, Port Townsend. (Coll. JamesG.Swan. Typein Coll. Mus. Vienna.) Bothragonus swanii, GILL, in JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 728, 1883 ; JORDAN, Cat, Fishes N, A., 114, 1885. 777. ASPIDOPHOROIDES, Lacépede. Aspidophoroides, LACKPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 111, 228, 1802 (tranquebar —monopterygius). Canthirhyneus, SWAINSON, Nat. Hist. Fishes, etc., 11, 272, 1839 (monopterygius). Anoplagonus, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., xm, 1861, 259 (inermis). Uleina, CRAMER, in JODRAN & EVERMANN, Check-List Fishes, 449, 1896 (olriki). Body and head more or less slender; head 4 to 6, width 5 to 8 in length of body; 8 longitudinal rows of plates, the lateral line in the upper lateral row; about 40 plates in the dorsal series, Terminal rostral plate present, unarmed; mouth terminal; teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Supra- ocular and occipital spines absent; plates of body more or less keeled, without spines. First dorsal absent; second dorsal and anal small, oppo- site each other, each with 4 to 7 rays. Gill membranes united, narrowly joined to isthmus anteriorly, free behind. (déz7s, shield; dopéa, to bear; £1605, form.) Uncina (ulke, a sculpin, in Danish) : : a. Body rather robust, the depth about 5 in length, the head 4 in length; plates in lat- eral line usually less than 40. b. Lateral line with 40 plates; nasal spines well developed. OLRIKI, 2429. bb. Lateral line with 36 to 38 plates; nasal spines very small or obsolete. GUNTHER, 2430. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2089 ee aa. Body very slender, the depth about 8 in length, the head 5 to 6; plates in lateral line more than 40. c. Nasal spines present; no median dorsal row of plates behind occiput. ASPIDOPHOROIDES: d. About 48 (or fewer) plates in dorsal series; temporal ridge ending pos- teriorly in a slight elevation. Atlantic coast. MONOPTERYGIUS, 2431. dd. 49 or 50 pairs of plates in dorsal series; temporal ridge not ending pos- teriorly ina slight ridge. Pacific coast. BARTONI, 2432. ANOPLAGONUS (avo7Aos, unarmed; Agonus): cc. Nasal spines absent; a median dorsal row of small plates from occiput half- way to dorsal. INERMIS, 2433. Subgenus ULCINA, Cramer. 2429, ASPIDOPHOROIDES OLRIKI, Liitken. D.6or7; A. 6or7; P.130r 14; V.3(I, 2); C.10 (Liitken). Form short and thick compared with 4. monopterygius, depressed anteriorly, posteriorly narrower and somewhat angular. Nape and fore part of back concave; forehead strongly arched antero-posteriorly. Interorbital space concaye, supraorbital ridges high. Ventral surface flat. Greatest breadth, over opercles, } of length of head, the latter 4} to 44 in total length, its greatest height, at shoulder, oflength of head. One pair of nasal spines; asingle barbel at angle of mouth (at tip of maxillary, as in other Aspidophoroides, ) overlooked in the original description. Pectorals large, about as long as head; other fins small; all rays simple; anal under dorsal, about midway between head and caudal; ventrals inserted alittle behind base of pectorals. Eyes large, their diameter { or a little less in length of head, longer than snout. Mouth small, its angle in line with anterior edge of orbit. Vent large, lying with its surrounding naked area about 2 pairs of plates dis- tant from base of ventrals. Gill membranes united. Eight longitudinal rows of plates on body, 6 on tail. In dorsal series 36 to 38, the posterior 12 or 13 on tail, median unpaired; in front of dorsal, 14 to 16 pairs. Supe- rior lateral (Jateral line) series 36 to 38; inferior lateral series 35 to 37; on breast 12 to 14, paired and unpaired. Two unpaired plates between vent and ventrals (from ventrals to anal about 12 pairs). Teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Fin rays, dorsal 6, anal 6, in 3 individuals, 5 in each fin in the fourth individual (6 or 7 in each fin in the Greenland speci- mens); pectorals 13 to 15 (in 2 specimens, 14 in 1 fin and 15 in the other); ventrals 3 (I, 2); caudal 10 or 11, the eleventh very short. Color more uni- form dark gray on back than those previously described (a few very indefinite dark cross bands); a large dark patch on preopercle and oper- cle seems to be quite constant; the dark spots on pectorals and caudal form cross bands when the fins are folded; tips of dorsal, anal, and ven- tral fins in general white, but the white patch is wanting in 1 specimen, which is paler than the others, has a smaller head and shorter ventrals. ‘This is undoubtedly a female; the others males. Holm’s notes on the color of the newly caught specimens say, ‘‘Sides of back greenish, with brown markings, otherwise whitish.” Arctic Ocean; known from west coast of Greenland, Davis Strait, at 32 fathoms; our specimens from Godhayn, Kara 3030—54 2090 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. Sea, at 55 fathoms; Barents Bay, Nova Zembla. (Eu.) The Dutch expedi- tion took 15 specimens of this form in Barents Bay and probably confused it with A. monopterygius. Their length was 40 to 75 mm. Later, on the Fylla expedition, Holm took 9 specimens in Davis Strait on the whitefish banks north of Holstenborg at a depth of 52 fathoms. Their length varied from 62 to86mm. The dark color bands in these are more or less distinct, at least among the smaller specimens. The ventrals varied a little in length, those with the short ventrals apparently in a decided minority. The small barbels were present in all of them. Rays of dorsal and anal fins: D.6; A.6(3 specimens); D.6; A.7(1 specimen); D.5; A.6 (1 exam- ple); D.6; A.5 (1 example); D.7; A. 6 (3 examples). That the white patch on the dorsal (and anal and ventral) is invariably present on the individuals with longer ventrals is undeniable. The assumption that it is a sexual distinction of the male thus gains probability; this was demonstrated in the specimens that were opened. Total length 63 to 69 mm. (4 individuals). (Liitken.) Aspidophoroides olriki, LUTKEN, Foreléb. Meddel. om Nord. Ulkefiske; Vidensk. Meddel. Naturhist. Foren. Kjéb. 386 (with 3 figures), 1876, Greenland; JORDAN, Cat. Fishes N. A.,113,1885; LUTKEN,* Kara-Havets Fishe, 6, pl. 15, figs. 1-3, 1886; specimens from Kara Sea. 2430. ASPIDOPHOROIDES GUNTHERI, Bean. D.7; A.7; V.1, 2; C.10; P.12. Body short, anteriorly very wide, some- what depressed. Height of body 6, and its width 5 in its length; head 44, its depth not more than } of its width, the latter nearly 5 in length of body; triangular, very short, wide posteriorly. A small barbel at tip of each maxillary; teeth in jaws, vomer, and palatines; nasal spines almost invisible. Along sides of head inferiorly 4 large mucous pores in oblong depressions, the largest of which is nearly as long as snout. Eye 3 in head, considerably more than width of interorbital space. Maxillary not reaching beyond anterior border of orbit; mandible barely included ; snout equaling interorbital space, the latter deeply concave. Greatest width of head nearly 5 in length of body, and 2 from beginning of dorsal to base of caudal. Gill membranes narrowly attached to isthmus ante- riorly, free posteriorly; gill opening wide. A deep groove along anterior third of back. Pectorals 2} times as long as ventrals and 4 in length of * The following is the substance of Dr. Liitken’s original account from specimens from Greenland: Body short, thick, total length 72 to 75 mm.; head 43 in total length (includ- ing caudal fin); width of body (at base of pectorals) a little more than 5 in total length; angles of body not distinctly serrated: interorbital space and back concave; nasal spines 2: diameter of orbit 3 in head, nearly twice the width of interorbital space or length of snout; plates in dorsal series 35 to 37; in front of dorsal fin 14 to 17; superior lateral series 39; inferior lateral 37; ventrolateral 36; in front of anal 12 or 13. First dorsal fin absent; teeth present on vomer and palatines; only 8 longitudinal series of plates, the lateral line on the superior lateral series; the ventrolateral series not forming the inferior angles of the body, but confined to the ventral surface and meeting in a single plate between ven- trals and vent. The above diagnosis, made in 1875 from the Greenland specimens taken from the stomachs of flounders, was not accompanied by a detailed description. The description was made ten years later from specimens taken in the Kara Sea. The figures of the individuals from Kara Sea differ from the figures of specimens from Greenland in several respects. On the former the anterior part of the back just behind the nape is more elevated; the rostral spines are directed much more backward and seem much less prominent; and there is 1 less median plate on breast (this last difference an individual one in other species). The gill membranes are probably free, at least behind. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 2091 body; ventrals as long as head without postorbital part; vent nearer tips than bases of ventrals; beginning of dorsal nearly midway of total length; anal under dorsal but a little shorter; length of caudal 54 or 6 in length of body; second dorsal ray longest, equal to postorbital part of head; longest anal ray less than } of head. Lateral line 40. Plates on breast about 14. Color dusky above, whitish below; a dark stripe on snout, continued on opercle; a few indistinct dark blotches on side of head; axillary region dusky; pectoral with 3 or 4 imperfect cross bars; body with 3 indistinct dusky cross bars, the middle one extending on middle of dorsal fin; tail with 2 dusky bars, 1 anteriorly, the other termi- nal, with a dirty yellowish area between them; ventrals and anal pale. Probably a young individual. Longest known individual, which served as the type, was 70 mm. (about 24 inches), (Bean.) Coasts of northern Alaska. (Named for Dr. Albert Giinther, keeper of the British Museum of Natural History. ) Aspidophoroides giintheri,* BmaNn, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1885,74, northern Alaska (Type, No. 37032. Coll. Lieut. G. M. Stoney); JorDAN, Cat. Fishes N. A., 113, 1885. 2431. ASPIDOPHOROIDES MONOPTERYGIUS} (Bloch). (SEA POACHER.) Br. 6; D.5 or 6; A. 5 or 6; P.9; V.3 (I, 2); C. 10 or 11; Pylorice ceca for 5 (2 individuals), Width of body at base of pectorals 8 in length; dorsal face concave from occiput to dorsal; ventrolateral ridges fairly prominent, but these series lie entirely on ventral side of body anteriorly and converge to a single plate between ventrals and vent. The ridge of the inferior lateral series, instead of disappearing anteriorly, is lower down than usual, becomes prominent anteriorly and runs to lower end of base of pectorals, thus forming the inferior angle of body, which is markedly 4-hedral in front. Plates in dorsal series 46 to 48; between ventrals and anal 16 or 17 pairs; between last ray of dorsal and first me- dian plate 1 to 3 pairs; 2 or 3 pairs between last anal ray and first median plate. A small plate between ventrals, a larger one between ventrals and vent; a variable number (3 to 8) of small plates behind and beside vent; plates of breast radially striate, the two median ones larger than the rest; a few small plates on hinder median part of gill membranes, and on narrow under side of mandible; 2 large plates with raised centers in front of and * This species agrees with the measurements of A. olriki, Liitken, and with the colora- tion as far asitis possible to judge; it differs from A. olriki only in these recorded characters: The nasal spines are very small, the longest anal ray is shorter than in the figures of A. olriki, and the pectoral rays number 12, while they range from 13 to 15 in A. olriki. Sut in none of these respects does it differ more from Liitken’s descriptions and figures of A. olriki from Greenland and from Kara Sea, in some respects apparently less, than these differ from each other. Each of the localities is about 4 of the earth’s circumference from the other, and A. guntheri may be only a variety of olriki, which would then be a cireum- polar species; if this view should ultimately prove untenable, Liitken’s Kara Sea speci- mens will have nearly as good a claim to specific distinction as the type of A. guntheri has. } Diagnosis: Body very slender, depressed in front, nearly 4-hedral anteriorly; depth 3 of width, the latter 8 in length; caudal peduncle very long, 6-hedral subterete; head long, tapering forward, 5} to6in length of body; plates in dorsal series about 48; between occi- put and dorsal fin 19 to 21; from ventrals to anal 16 or 17 pairs; first dorsal absent; bar- bels none; gill membranes free; median rostral plate small, unarmed. Nasal spines very Serene: diverge; no other spines on head or body. Color, brownish, obscurely banded with dark. 2092 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 4 to 8 small spineless plates in 1 or 2 series on base of pectoral. Head long, tapering, 5} to 6 in length of body; orbits very large, nearly circular, the longitudinal diameter longer than snout, 3} in head; interorbital space wide, less than orbit, deeply concave; supraocular ridges high, bulging; occipital ridges evident; temporal ridges low, terminating in an upwardly directed blunt elevation; suborbital ridge close under orbit, low, spine- less, 2 or 3 plates below it on the nearly vertical cheek; median rostral plate small, immovable or slightly movable, spineless, overhanging pre- maxillary; mouth small, terminal, lower jaw a little included; maxillary reaching front of orbit, almost entirely covered by preorbital, Dorsal and anal fin small, the latter under the former; caudal 3 times as long as wide at base; pectorals 6 or less in body, their base about 5 in their length; ventrals of female 2 those of male, the latter 2 of pectorals. Lateral line 50. Color brownish, pale below, with indefinite cross bands of darker, 2 in front of, and 1 under dorsal, and 2 or 3 on caudal peduncle; rays of dorsal and upper rays of pectoral brownish, interrupted by lighter, giving an indefinite cross-banded appearance; caudal dark, ventrals in both sexes and anal pale. Total length 6 inches. Greenland to Cape Cod; common in rather deep water. This description based on specimens from Massachusetts Bay. (udvos, single, trepvyior, fin.) Cottus monopterygius, BLocH, Ichthyologia, 11, 156, pl. 178, figs. 1, 2, 1786, Tranquebar; an error. Cottus indicus, BONNATERRE, Tableau Encyel. Meth., 68, pl. 87, fig. 367, 1788, India; after BLoc#H. Aspidophoroides tranquebar, LACEPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 111, 228, 1802 Tranquebar; after Buiocu. Aspidophoroides grenlandicus, VALENCIENNES, in CuviER, Régne Anim., Ed. 1, Vol. 2, pl. 21, fig. 3, 1829, Greenland. + Aspidophoroides monopterygius, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., vi, 554, pl. 169, 1830; SrorER, Fishes of Mass., 22, pl. 1, fig. 1, 1867; Dz Kay, New York Fauna: Fishes, 62, pl. 3, fig. 5, 1842; GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 216, 1860; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 724, 1883. Canthirhyneus monopterygius, SWAINSON, Nat. Hist. of Fishes, etc., U1, 272, 1839, 2432. ASPIDOPHOROIDES BARTONI, Gilbert. Very close to Aspidophoroides monopterygius. From this species it ditters in the much lower ridges on body, which are slightly rounded rather than sharply carinate, and leave the intervening faces shallowly concave, instead of deeply so. The plates of the lower lateral ridge do not in the young bear backwardly directed spinous points as they do in 4. monop- terygius. The keelin front of the ventral fin, prominent in 4. monopteryguus, is here nearly or quite obsolete. The same is true of the keel below the eye, and the occipital ridge. The plates in front of the pectorals also protrude less, and in general the angles and prominences are less marked. The space between the dorsal ridges is less, its greatest width being 4 length of head behind middle of eye in adults, and behind posterior margin of eye in young. In 4. monopterygius the same width equals + head behind front of eye in adults, behind middle of eyein young. These scarcely admit of quantitative statements, but are sufficiently evident on comparing specimens from the Atlantic and the Pacific. Vertebre Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2093 11+ 389—50. General proportions, fin rays and color are the same in the 2 species. Aleutian Islands; taken very abundantly both north and south of the Aleutian Islands and in Bristol Bay, at depths of 17 to 121 fathoms. (Gilbert.) Also found about the Pribilof Islands. (Named for Mr. Bar- ton A. Bean.) Aspidophoroides bartoni, GILBERT, Rept. U. S. Fish. Comm. 1893 (1896), 434, Aleutian Islands; Bristol Bay, Alaska. (Coll. Albatross.) - Subgenus ANOPLAGONUS, Gill. 2433. ASPIDOPHOROIDES INERMIS,* Giinther. B. 6; 1D. absent; 2D.50r6; A. 4o0r5; P.10; V. 3(1,2); C. 11; verte- bre 11-+-32—43. Pyloric ceca 4 (1 individual). Only 8 longitudinal rows of plates, the lateral line in the upper lateral row. No spines any- where on body; no ridges on the superior and inferior lateral series; plates of the dorso- and ventrolateral series bent upon themselves at right angles, forming the 4 prominent angles of the body; the ventro- lateral series do not therefore lie entirely on underside of body, as in 4. monopterygius, nor do they converge between ventrals and vent, but pass forward to lower end of base of pectorals; three pairs of plates between last dorsal ray and first median plate, and 2 to 4 pairs between last anal ray and first median plate; a median dorsal series of hexagonal plates about as large as those of the lateral series, on widest part of back, from occiput to about halfway to dorsal; these plates alternating, but not regularly, with still smaller ones; an inconstant number of small plates behind and around vent; 2 or 3 pairs between ventrals and vent, and a single small one between the bases of ventrals. Gill membrane medially on its posterior part and laterally on its anterior part and narrow under surface of mandible between the rami strongly plated; two or 3 large plates in front of and 7 to 10 small ones in 2 series on base of pec- toral. Head depressed, its depth ? of its greatest width; orbit small, circular, less than snout, 44 in head; interorbital space narrow, 1? of orbit, moderately concave; supraocular, occipital, temporal, and suborbi- tal ridges very low; 4 or 5 plates on lower part of cheek; median rostral plate small, vertical, movable, unarmed; mouth small, the lower jaw slightly projecting, maxillary scarcely reaching front of orbit, entirely covered by preorbital; teeth in bands on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Dor- sal and anal fins small, the latter under the former, with usually 5 rays; caudal rounded, its width at base 2} in its length; pectorals 7 in length of body, their base 24 to 3 in their length, nearly truncate, with 10 rays, the 3 lowermost a little exserted. Ventrals of female nearly twice as long as orbit, 2 to 3 as long as those of male, the latter less than 2 in pectorals. Lateral line 41. Color dark (nearly black) grayish or brownish and lighter * Diagnosis: Body slender, much depressed anteriorly, 4-hedral, the dorsal face con- cave, the ventral flat, the lateral convex; caudal peduncle 6-hedral, subterete; depth of body % in width, the latter 8 in length; head long, tapering, 54 in length of body; plates in dorsal series 42; from occiput to dorsal 19to 21; from ventrals to anal 17 pairs; a median dorsal row of small plates from occiput to opposite tip of pectorals; first dorsal absent; barbels none; gill membranes narrowly joined to isthmus with moderate free fold behind: median rostral plate small, unarmed; nasal and all other spines absent from head. Color brownish black, with several alternating cross bars of darker and lighter, Pectorals with black patch at base and 1 near tip. 2094 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. gray, dusky below; a black band from mouth across orbit to pectoral and alongside of body, much interrupted; dark markings deepest on sides of body; adark cross band halfway between occiput and dorsal, 1 in front of dorsal, 1 under posterior half of dorsal (running up on latter), and about 2 on caudal peduncle; posterior half of dorsal dark, marbled; a marbled patch at base of pectorals, another on their distal third; ventrals pale in both sexes; anal with dark patches on or behind the rays, darker posteri- orly; caudal black at its base and on its distal half, the 2 patches con- nected by a black band along middle of fin, leaving 2 light patches on the dorsal and ventral thirds of the proximal half of the fin; the bands of color very much as in A. monopterygius, but better defined. Length 4 inches. Coast of Alaska, south to Vancouver Island; not abundant; recorded from Vancouver Island (Giinther); eastern Aleutian Islands, 34 to 59 fathoms, and Bristol Bay. (Gilbert.) Here described from speci- mens from the Aleutian Islands and Bristol Bay. (inermis, unarmed.) Aspidophoroides inermis, GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 524, 1860, Vancouver Island; LUTKEN, Foreloéb. Medd. om Nord. Ulkefiske; Vidensk. Meddel. Naturhist. Foren. Kjéb., 385, 1876; Jor- DAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 725, 1883; JORDAN, Cat. Fishes N. A., 113, 1885. Anoplagonus inermis, GILL, Proc, Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., x1, 1861, 167. Family CLXXXII. CYCLOPTERID&.* (The LuMp SUCKERS.) Body short and thick, more or less elevated, covered with a thick skin, which is smooth, tubercular, or spinous; head short and thick; suborbital * Dr. Gill thus defines the superfamily Oyclopteroidea, including the Cyclopteride and the Liparidide, the group being equivalent to that called by other writers ‘‘Discoboli” : “A canthoptergians with the third infraorbital bone developed as a stay obliquely cross- ing the cheek and connecting with the preopereuluin, the myodome suppressed, the post temporal bifurcate and normally connected with the cranium, the actinosts enlarged and mostly connected with the inner ridge of the proscapula, the hypercoracoid being dis- lodged upward and the hypercoracoic downward on a row with the 4 actinosts; ribs ses- sile on the vertebral centra or hzemapophyses; pharyngials reduced to the large epipharyngeal (homologous with the third of typical Acanthoptergians), and ventrals modified to form a suctorial disk supported by 6 immovable rays on each side converted into osseous tissue and without articulations; typically suppressed. They appear to have the branchial apparatus constructed on the same plan as in the Cottoidea; 2 or 3 basibranchials ossified; hypobranchials of 3 pairs in line with the corresponging cerato- branchials of fourth arch suppressed; ceratobranchials of all and epibranchials (of all or 3) arches well developed; pharyngobranchials reduced to 1 pair of compressed epipharyn- geals; hypopharyngeals divergent and rather compressed. There are 33 gills, that Is double branchiz. on all the arches except the fourth, which has a single row of filaments. There is no fissure behind the fourth arch.”’ (Gill.) . Mr. Garman (Monograph of the Discoboli, 1892, 19) has the following remarks on the Cyclopteride: “‘Anteriorly the form of the lump fishes is stout, thick, and deep; behind the body cavity, which occupies the greater portion of the length, it rather abruptly becomes weak and slender. The head is short and broad, sabquadrangular in transsection; the snout is short and blunt; the mouth is of moderate width, anterior, and opens slightly upward; the teeth are small, subconical, and arranged in a band or cord; the eyes are of medium size and have a lateral outlook. Allof the members of the family have pseudo- branchie, 34 gills, 6 branchiostegal rays, small gill openings, numerous pyloric cxca, and an elongate intestine. In their lower portions the broad, rounded pectorals extend forward under the throat, along the sides of the disk. The vertical fins are not of large extent; the caudal and the 2 dorsals are quite separate. The disk is comparatively large. Early in life the skin is tender and naked; later it grows tough and is covered with roughened or spine-bearing osseous tubercles. Semicartilaginous describes the skeleton with tolerable accuracy; the small amount of bony matter lies in thin plates, often form- ing cells and chambers similar to those to be noticed in the bones of Lophius. The third Jordan and Evermann,—Fishes of North America, 2095 stay present, thin and flattish; mouth small, terminal; jaws with bands of slender, simple teeth; no teeth on vomer or palatines; gill openings narrow, restricted to the sides, the membranes being broadly joined to the isthmus and shoulder girdle; branchiostegals 6; gills 34; pseudobranchize present; dorsal fins 2, the anterior part of flexible spines, which, in the adult, are sometimes hidden by a fleshy hump, in 1 subfamily entirely wanting; soft dorsal usually opposite the anal and similar to it; caudal fin rounded, free from the dorsal and anal; ventrals thoracic, rudimentary, forming the bony center of a sucking disk; pectorals short, placed low, their bases broad and procurrent; pyloric ceca numerous; intestine elon- gate; vertebre 12+ 16, the skeleton feebly ossified. Genera 7; species 8; inhabiting the northern seas of both hemispheres. By means of the ad- hesive ventral disk these fishes are enabled to attach themselves very firmly to rocks or other objects. They feed on crustacea, worms, small fishes, and plants. The young of Cyclopterus bear a close resemblance to Liparis, an evidence of the common origin of the 2 groups, which is borne out by the anatomy. (Discoboli; group Cyclopterina, GUNTHER, Cat., 111, 154 to 158.) CYCLOPTERINZE: I. Spinous dorsal present, sometimes concealed in adult. a. Barbels none; disk anterior, below the head. b. Skin armed with large tubercles. ce. Larger tubercles on body in rows well separated; spinous dorsal fin obsolete with age. CYCLOPTERUS, 778. ec. Larger tubercles not in rows, crowded closely together; spinous dorsal fin usually not disappearing with age. EUMICROTREMUS, 779. bb. Skin naked or with scattered, slender spines; no lateral line. LETHOTREMUS, 780. aa. Barbels present about the mouth; disk below the abdomen; tubercles on sides minute. CYCLOPTEROIDES, 781. LIPAROPSIN 2: * IL. Spinous dorsal wholly wanting. e. Dorsal short, opposite anal, of 9 or 10 rays; skin wholly smooth, without bony tubercles. CYCLOPTERICHTHYS, 782. ee. Dorsal long, beginning near middle of back; skin with bony tubercles. LIPAROPS, 783. suborbital is thin and broadens as it extends back to the preopercle. The interopercle is more blade-like than in the Liparidide. On 1 genus the pores around the mouth are tubular and form barbels. In this important paper are valuable notes on the osteolugy and embryology of the Cyclopteride and Liparidide. * The Liparopsine, regarded as a separate family (Liparopside) is thus defined by Mr. Garman: ‘“The deterioration of the first or spinous dorsal seen in the Lumpfish, has apparently proceeded so far in the Liparopside as to cause the disappearance of that fin. Each of the 2 genera in the family has but.a single dorsal, the posterior. In one genus the fin is short and situated near the caudal, in the other the fin begins near the middle of the back and extends nearly to the origin of the caudal. The genera are further distin- guished by dorsal tubercles in one case, and by anaked skin in the other. The shape is somewhat like that of the Diodons, bulky, thick, broad, and longer forward, in the sec- tion containing the visceral cavity, aud short and greatly reduced in size behind it. The head is short, ‘broad, and thick, the snout short and blunt, the mouth terminal, the teeth subconical, the eyes lateral, the branchiosteyal rays 6 in number, the gill openings narrow, the gills 34, the pseudobranchiz small, all, with disk, pectorals, and caudal, as in the Cyclopteride. Until recently this family has been known only from the North Pacific. A short time ago a second species of Cyclopterichthys was named by Vaillant from a sketch of a fish taken in the Straits of Magellan, which would extend the distri- bution to the Antarctic regions.” (Liparopside, Garman, Discoboli, 40, 1892.) 2096 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 778. CYCLOPTERUS (Artedi) Linnzus. (LUMPFISHES. ) Lumpus, GESNER, Hist. Anim., Iv, 1284, 1588 (nonbinomial). Cyclopterus, ARTEDI, Genera Pisc., 62,1738 (nonbinomial). Cyclopterus, LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. x1, 260, 1788 (lumpus). Lumpus, McMurrrig, in Cuvier, Anim. Kingd., 1831 (vulgaris). Body more or less compressed toward the back, somewhat triangular in a transverse section at the first dorsal, covered with conical, rough, bony tubercles; head short, thick, subquadrangular in a cross section; snout blunt, rounded; mouth anterior, opening slightly upward; teeth simple, small, arranged in a band; eye moderate, lateral; dorsals 2; caudal dis- tinct; disk moderately large, anterior below the head; no barbels about the mouth; first dorsal fin in the adult completely hidden by the skin, the larger tubercles of the flanks, though in regular series, having a seat- tered appearance. One species, reaching a considerable size, in the north Atlantic. (xvxAos, circle; mrepor, fin.) 2434. CYCLOPTERUS LUMPUS, Linnezus. (LUMPFISH; CocK AND HEN PADDLE; LUMP SUCKER.) Head 5 in entire length; depth 2; D. VI* to VIII, 11; A.9or10; ventral 6; pectoral 20; caudal 12 to 14; branchiostegals 6; vertebre 11+ 18— 29. Body massive, compressed, subtriangular in transverse section through the middle, belly flattened, the portion behind the abdominal chamber much compressed, and less than 4 the length of the body proper. Head short, subquadrangular in transverse section, forehead broad, flattened; nape high; snout short, broad, blunt; mouth wide, anterior, opening with a slight upward direction, extending backward almost to a vertical from the front margin of the eye. Eyes lateral, near the top of the head, as long as the snout, ¢ as long as the head and } as wide as the interorbital space. Forehead broad, depressed, convex. Nostrils small, the hinder smaller, near the eyes on interorbital space, the anterior farther forward, halfway to the mouth, with a short tube. Gill opening moderately wide, its lower third in front of the base of the pectoral. Fins with rounded margins, rough, with small tubercles. First dorsal distinet on very young individuals, variable in shape, thick and fleshy, with weak rays in older stages; second dorsal distinct, broad, rounded; caudal broad, subtruncate or rounded posteriorly; anal moderate, opposite the second dorsal, which it resembles in shape; pectorals broad, rounded, fringed, not indented at the sides of the disk. Disk little longer than wide, about the width of the head, or nearly } of the length of the latter. Skin thickly sown with small, irregular subconical tubercles, the sides of which are roughened with small, conical protuberances. On older indi- viduals, larger, longitudinally compressed tubercles form a vertical series from the nape over the first dorsal; a series of 3 others stands at each side *The following formula is given for British specimens: Dorsal IV to VII, 10 or 11; anal 9 or 10; pectoral 20 or 21, ventral 6; caudal 10 or 11. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 209% of the space between the dorsals; a row of larger ones extends from the supraorbital region along the flank to the upper part of the tail; a series, starting a little above the pectoral, passes to the lower portion of the tail; and a third lateral series reaches along each line of the lower surface from the side of the disk to the anal. The fleshy ridge enveloping the first dorsal is subject to considerable variation; it usually continues for- ward on the nape and becomes indefinite at the occiput. In alcohol the colors are brownish or olive to grayish, the tubercles darker. In life the tints vary from yellowish or greenish in the young to more or less brilliant red in the males, or bluish to dark brown in females; spots, blotches, cloudings, or other markings are not infrequent. The young often take the color of their surroundings. Mr. Dresel gives the following notes on a small example of this species, 31 mm. long, from Davis Straits: The spinous dorsal is comparatively high, and is not enveloped in thick skin as in the adults. The abdominal tubercles are the most developed. The gill opening is as long as the base of the anal fin, which is as long as the disk. D.IV,10; A.10. Only 1 specimen, badly mutilated by the Eskimo dogs, was seen at Godhavn. The color was bright olive green, with the belly white. These fish are seldom caught in this harbor after May, dur- ing which month they are very abundant. North Atlantic, on rocky shores of both coasts; south to Cape Cod and France; generally abundant, reaching a length of 20 inches or more, but usually much smaller; they are rarely used as food. According to Garman, the Lumpfish spawns near shore in March or April, after which the female retires to deep water, leaving the male to watch the eggs, which hatch among seaweed and eelgrass. (Eu.) (lumpus, from the English lump, the fish having been called Lumpus anglorum by Gesner.) Cyclopterus lumpus, LINN&HUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. x1, 1. 260, 1788, Baltic and North Sea; GUn- THER, Cat., 11, 155, 1861; DRESEL, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1884, 250; JoRDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 747, 1883; GARMAN, Discoboli, 21, 1892, and of authors generally. Cyclopterus minutus, PALLAS, Spicilegia, Zool., Vit, 12,1769, Atlantic Ocean. Cyclopterus pavoninus, SHAW, Nat. Misc., Ix, pl. 310, 1797. Cyclopterus pyramidatus, SHAW, Gen’] Zool., V, 390, 1804. Gobius minutus, MULLER, Zool. Dan., Iv, 38, 1808, Denmark. Cyclopterus ceruleus, MITCHILL, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. N. Y., 1, 1815, 480, New York Harbor. Cyclopterus coronatus, COUCH, Nat. Hist. Cornwall, 47, 1823, Cornwall. Lumpus vulgaris, McMurtris, in CuvIER, Anim. Kingdom, 1831; after LINNZUs. Lumpus anglorum, De Kay, N.Y. Fauna: Fishes, Iv, 305, 1842; after LINNAUS. 779. EUMICROTREMUS, Gill. Eumicrotremus, GIL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1864, 190 (spinosus). Body and head covered with spines and tubercles, not arranged in regu- lar rows; first dorsal not hidden so early in life as in Cyclopterus. Eyes and disk larger than in Cyclopterus, the gill openings rather smaller. Dorsal rays VI or VII, 10 or 11, Size small. Northern seas. (ev, very; minpds, small; renwa, aperture. ) a. Body rather elongate, the depth 24 in length; tubercles large. SPINOSUS, 2435. aa. Body short and deep, the depth 3 length; tubercles smaller. ORBIS, 2436. 2098 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 2435. EUMICROTREMUS SPINOSUS (Miller). Head 22; depth 13. D. VI, 11; A. 10; P. 21; branchiostegals 6. Body exceedingly robust, abruptly compressed posteriorly; the length of the head less than its height; crown convex, orbit large, less than + of the length of the head. Mouth moderate, reaching a vertical from the foward margin of the orbit. Teeth small, simple, subconical, in a narrow band. On younger examples the anterior dorsal is quite distinct, and does not form a continuous arch with the outline of the back in front of it, as in the Lump, but aged specimens approach the latter more nearly in these respects. Between the 2 dorsals the space is less than base of first. Caudal subtrun- cate on its posterior margin, the angles rounded off; all the fins with rounded margins. Each of the conical tubercles with which the skin is covered is rough, with small projections on its sides and base; some of the tubercles in diameter of base measuring nearly or quite as much as width of orbit; the largest appearing in a group of 8 or 9 on the middle of the flank, and in several series from the crown to the base of the second dorsal; one of the large ones standing at each side of the space between the dorsals; a couple of moderate-sized ones seen in front of the shoulder, those on the entire caudal region smaller, as also those below the head and body. A young example, about 1} inches in length, has a similar outline in trans- verse section as wide as high, is abruptly compressed behind the abdomen, and shows the first dorsal as free and distinct as the second; back some- what arched under the base of the anterior; interorbital space slightly concave, + wider than the orbit, and + narrower than the disk; disk nearly 4 wider than the orbit. Entire body covered with irregular- sized spiny tubercles; on the sides of each tubercle the small spines slender and bristle-like, and their development comparatively greater than that obtaining among them on older examples. Later in life it is the central portion or cone of the tubercle that develops, while the lateral outgrowths remain small. On the young individuals the larger scales occupy the spaces behind the pectorals, above the opercles, and at the sides of the first dorsals. Dr. Giinther, 1880, figures some young specimens an inch in length, some with tubercles, others without them, and shows the fins to be angular early in life. The color is olivaceous to brownish, very likely reddish in life, clouded with darker. From the material before us, this species appears to be less compressed than either Cyclopterus lumpus or Eumicrotremus orbis. In a transverse section, in front of the first dor- sal, it is nearly round, whereas in either of the others such a section is considerably higher than wide. Compared with them in regard to length, it may be described as elongate. How much of this difference in form is to be credited to individual variation we can not at present determine. Bear- ing in mind the variations seen in a lot of specimens of C. lwmpus, it does not seem at all impossible that £. spinosus and E. orbis may have to be united, as has been suggested by several authors, but unless other speci- mens show closer approaches than these, they are certainly better kept separate. (Garman.) Mr. Dresel gives the following notes on a specimen, 90 mm. long, from the stomach of a halibut in Davis Straits: ~ Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2099 D. VI, 11; A. ca. 10. The head and body suborbicular; the body posteriorly is abruptly compressed. The mouth is moderate, the jaws with narrow bands of villiform teeth. The maxilla reaches to below the anterior margin of the eye, its length being contained 24 times in that of the head. The gill opening is small, as long as the diameter of the eye, which is contained 3 times in the length of the head. The disk is about as long as it is broad, 3 of the length of the head. The interorbital width is greater than 4 the length of the head, and not quite twice the diameter of the eye. Length of head contained 3 times, greatest height of body 2 times, in total length. The body is covered with conical plates of various sizes, those of the pectoral region being the largest, about as large as the eye. The plates are studded with small tubercles, and the larger ones have the centers elevated and pointed. Color in spirits, light brown, with traces of punctulations on the skin between the plates. North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, south to Maine and Denmark; the specimens above described (by Mr. Garman) from Eastport, Maine. (Ku.) (spinosus, spinous. ) Cyclopterus spinosus, MULLER, Prodr. Zool. Dan., 1x, 1777, Denmark; FApRIcivus, Fauna Greenlandica, 134, 1780; GUNTHER, Cat., uw, 157, 1861; JoRDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 746, 1883. Eumicrotremus spinosus, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1873, 190; DRESEL, Prog. U.S: Nat. Mus. 1884, 249; GARMAN, Discoboli, 34, 1892. Lumpus spinosus, STORER, Synopsis, 482, 1846. 2436. EUMICROTREMUS ORBIS (Gunther). Head 24; depth 1}. D. VII, 9; A. 10; caudal 10; branchiostegals 6. Body compressed, thick, short, and high; head short, higher than wide, flattened ; supraorbital angles prominent. In the specimen described, badly shrunken by drying, the height of the head is contained in the distance from the snout to the base of the caudal nearly twice. Eye large, about 31 times in the length of the head. Teeth numerous, small, subconical, in pavement, 4 or 5 series. Anterior dorsal much as in a specimen of C. lumpus of 3 inches in length, the sides of the fin covered with spines of moderate size, the spinous rays 7 in number. The upper outline of this fin is much like that of the Lump, in being arched backward, or crescentic. The 10 rays of the second dorsal aré very distinct; the membranes are not so tuberculate as those of the first. Entire body and head covered with spiny conical tubercles, the largest in a group of 7 or 8 on the flank behind the pectorals, another on the forehead, and those on the supraocular ridge. A single large one stands at each side of the space between the dorsals. Those on the flanks are in contact, and on an example 44 inches in length there are several that exceed } inch in diame- ter. The sides of the tubercles are roughened by multitudes of fine sharp spines. Under chin and throat the tubercles are smaller, close together, and very numerous. The origin of the first dorsal is above and a little in front of the gill opening. The latter is above the base of the pectoral, behind the eye; its width is hardly as great as that of the orbit. Profes- sor Collett gives a good figure of C. spinosus; to compare the specimen from which these notes are taken with it, the Pacific representative is higher and more arched in front of and over the first dorsal, the depth of the body is greater in proportion to the length, and the spines above the lateral line, from the space between the dorsals to the back of the skull, are a great deal smaller. These differences are such as may obtain on 2100 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. individuals, it is true, but until direct comparisons of series from the Pacific are made with others from the Atlantic it is hardly worth the while to throw C. orbis in with C. spinosus. The 2 species are very closely allied, but with our specimens it does not seem best to bring them together as one. (Garman.) Northern Pacific, south to Vancouver Island; not rare. The specimen above described from St. George Island, Bering Sea. The following notes are taken from a very large specimen, 5 inches long, from the Aleutian Islands. (Coll. Alaska Comml. Co.): Head 3; depth nearly 2; D. VII, 11; A. 10; caudal 10. Body orbieular, cuboid anteriorly; base of spinous dorsal and body behind vent abruptly compressed; teeth in narrow bands; gill openings on a level with eye, slightly narrower than orbit. Spinous dorsal not hidden, covered with rough tubercles, similar to those on body, but smaller; width of ventral disk slightly less than its length, and somewhat less than length of head. Body covered with irregular roundish conical plates, varying much in size, some of the larger with a central point, turned backward; all the plates with small tubercles and slender flexible prickles; small plates along bases of all the fins; a series of 6 large plates extending backward from above eye to opposite the interval between dorsals; a series of 5 on each side of middle of interocular space from snout to nape, these increas- ing much in size posteriorly; a series of 3 along opercular margin; along base of spinous dorsal, a series of 4, not connected with that of interor- bital space; a single large plate on each side of the interval between dor- sals; 2 longitudinal series of 4 large plates each, beginning above base of pectorals and behind gill slits, terminating under the space between dorsals; the largest plate on body is immediately behind axil of pectoral; a smaller one below it, and 2 others between it and origin of anal; 2 series of smaller plates below eye; many small plates interposed between the series of large ones; very small plates on under side of head and middle of tail; no plates between ventral disk and vent; none in axil of pectorals. Color olivaceous, the skin between the plates thickly punctate. “Three young examples, the largest 27 mm. jong, were dredged south of Sannak Islands and in Bristol Bay (depth 19 to 70 fathoms). Fin rays in these vary as follows: D. VI or VII, 9 or 10; A.8 to 10. We agree with Garman in considering it advisable to distinguish the north Pacific form from F. spinosus, until adequate series can be compared.” (Gilbert.) (orbis, orb or sphere.) Cyclopterus orbis, GUNTHER, Cat., 111, 158, 1861, Vancouver Island. Eumicrotemus orbis, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 454; GARMAN, Disco. boli, 36, 1892. Cyclopterus spinosus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 746, 1883; not of MULLER. 780. LETHOTREMUS, Gilbert. Lethotremus, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 449 (muticus). This genus differs from Lumicrotremus in the total absence of the bony plates, and of lateral line or pores on sides of head and body. The skin is either smooth or armed with scattered prickles. (A767, forgetfulness; TEHUa, apertures. ) a. Dorsal rays VII, 11; anal 10; skin perfectly smooth. MUTICUS, 2437. aa. Dorsal rays V,7; anal 6; skin prickly. VINOLENTUS, 2438. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2101 2437. LETHOTREMUS MUTICUS, Gilbert. D. VII, 11; A. 10; P. 23. Depth 2 to 24 in length; head 2} to 2}. Eye very large, 24 to 24 in head, equaling interorbital width. In Humicro- tremus orbis of equal size, the length of the slit slightly less than its distance from upper base of pectorals. Diameter of ventral disk 4 length of head, equal to width of mouth. No barbels or filaments. Origin of spinous dorsal slightly in advance of gill slit, distance between dorsals equaling half diameter of eye; origin of anal under that of second dorsal; no notch between upper and lower portions of pectoral fin, the lower rays thickened but not lengthened, the length of upper ray equaling that of snout and eye. Vent separated from disk by slightly more than 4 its distance from front of anal. Color in spirits, brownish above, white below, the upper parts finely freckled with small black specks. Length about 1} inches. Aleutian Islands. This species closely resembles in form, fin rays, and general appearance Humicrotremus orbis, but differs, in addition to the generic characters already stated, in the much larger eye, the lower spinous dorsal, and the extreme reduction of the posterior nasal tube. In young examples of . orbis, the posterior nasal tube is much longer than the anterior, and equals 4 the diameter of eye. In JL. muticus, both tubes are short, and the posterior is little more than an elevated rim to the nasal opening. The naked specimens _from the Atlantic, reported on by Dr. Giinther under the name Cycloptremus ‘ spinosus, are probably referable to Lethotremus. (Gilbert.) (muticus, unarmed. ) Lethotremus muticus, GILBERT, Rept. U. S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 449, pl. 31, Unimak Pass, Alaska, at Albatross Stations 3223 and 3258, in 56 and 70 fathoms. 2438. LETHOTREMUS VINOLENTUS, Jordan & Starks. Head 2}in length; depth 2}. D.V,7; A.6; eye3in head; snout nearly 4; maxillary 24; interorbital 24; ventral disk 1}; height of spinous dorsal 24; length of pectoral 2?. Body short and thick, broadest at head, deepest in front of first dorsal spine, abruptly compressed at vent; back some- what elevated. Mouth terminal, oblique, the jaws about equal; snout very blunt; maxillary reaching slightly past the vertical from front of eye; teeth in narrow villiform bands; teeth on vomer (the specimen is so small, we can not be sure of the palatine teeth); eye large, set high in the head, its diameter greater than the length of the snout; interorbital wide and flat, the diameter contained 1} times in the width; gill opening oblique, about as wide as eye and on a level with eye; disk + longer than broad, its length about equal to distance from gill opening to anterior edge of eye. Skin thick; head and body nearly naked, a few spines scattered over it; spinous dorsal with 3 or 4 small spines, a minute simple spine in front of eye and 2 or 3 above it; 4 multifid spines following the curve ot back, under spinous dorsal, and 1 under the front of second dorsal, 2 similar spines on each side of nape, just above opercles; 2 on edge of oper- cle and 3 on edge of preopercle; an irregular row of 6 running from above base of pectoral to front of anal fin, and a couple of small ones behind gill 2102 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. opening; body otherwise naked. All the spines, with the exception of those noted as simple, are long sharp spines in groups of from 3 to 6 with a common base, generally the length of each spine exceeding length of the base. No lateral line. Spinous dorsal reaching to the first ray of soft dorsal when fin is depressed, higher than soft dorsal; anal and soft dorsal similar; caudal small, truncate or slightly rounded; pectorals very short, reaching to the posterior edge of ventral disk. Color bright wine red, slightly lighter below, without markings, sides dusted over with very small dark points; spinous dorsal dusky; other fins colorless. Colors disappear in alcohol. One specimen 4 inch long, dredged in Puget Sound. If the adult shows the same characters, it must become the type of a distinct genus. (vinolentus, wine-colored. ) Lethotremus vinolentus, JORDAN & STARKS, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 827, pl. 94, Puget Sound, near Seattle, Washington. (Type, No. 3131, L. 8. Jr. Univ. Mus. Coll. E. C. Starks.) 781. CYCLOPTEROIDES, Garman. Cyclopteroides, GARMAN, Mon. Discoboli, 37, 1892 (gyrinops). Body short, thick, slightly depressed anteriorly, compressed posteriorly. Head broad, short; snout short, obtuse; subordital produced to connect with the preoperculum, widening backward. The bases of both dorsals are thickly enveloped in skin and flesh. Ventrals united, forming a large adhesive disk. Chin with tubular pores, or barbels. Teeth small, sub- conical. Gill openings narrow; gill membranes united and attached to theisthmus. Gills3}. Pseudobranchiz present. Six branchiostegalrays. Intestine long. Like Cyclopterus, to which it is closely allied, the species of this genus appears to derive a portion of their food from vegetation. (Cyclopterus; eid os, resemblance. ) 2439, CYCLOPTEROIDES GYRINOPS, Garman. Head 38 in total length; D. 8 or 9; A. 9; pectoral 24; caudal 10; ceca 10 or 11; branchiostegal 6. Body oblong, compressed toward the dorsals, broad toward the belly, subtriangular in transverse section, abruptly compressed in the posterior portion between the second dorsal and the anal, deep near the abdomen, and tapering rapidly to the caudal fin. Belly flattened, # as wide as long. Head short, as long as high, wider than long; interorbital space concave transversely and slightly so longitudinally, steeply inclined on snout and sides; cheeks swollen; mouth anterior, somewhat oblique, little wider than interorbital space, not reaching a vertical from front of eye; lower lip interrupted for a short distance at the symphysis; chin with a series of 4 barbels on each side formed by tubular prolongations of the pores similar to those of the nostrils. Teeth very small, conical, slightly hooking backward, in 5 rows at the symphysis, some of which are shorter and do not extend so far toward the sides as the others. Nostrils small, tubular, the posterior between the eyes, and the anterior halfway between the posterior and the mouth. Eye moderate, lateral, as long as the snout, more than 4 in Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2103 head, prominent above the outline of the forehead. Gill opening very small, covered by the spine-like angle of the opercle, at a distance above the base of the pectoral equal to about twice its own width. Skin coy- ered with mucus, with 4 series of very small, distant, 1- to 8-spined tubercles on each side; 1 series on each side of the median line of the forehead along the sides of the bases of the dorsals, another from each orbital ridge backward on the flank parallel with the first, another behind each eye, and the fourth at the lower edge of the gill opening; below the last series the skin is quite bare. Ventral disk as long as the head, as broad as long, or broader, nearly twice as far from the caudal as from the mouth. Dorsal fins very thick at their bases, enveloped in loose skin through which the rays may be distinguished, separated by an inter- space, the first higher, originating above the gill opening; base of the second higher in front, and the posterior rays more free from the thick skin. (The extremities of the rays are all weak, and in most cases have been carried away. That the caudal fin was pointed is indicated by the strength of the median rays; in other words, the fin was longer in the middle.) Pectorals broad, rounded in the upper part posteriorly, reaching as far backward as the hinder edge of the disk; lower border but little indented, if at all, with ends of rays prolonged as a short fringe. Color brown, approaching a chocolate; belly light; a dark brown blotch between the eyes, another from each eye through anterior nostril to mouth, 1 below eye to throat, 1 or 2 back of eye on opercle, a larger one behind gill open- ing, several small ones close along bases of dorsals, and an elongate band on the hinder part of flank and on base of caudal portion; peculiar marks exist in a brown blotch, on each side of hinder part of abdomen, on which is a bunch of 3 white spots like a clover leaf, in a white band, reaching toward the flank at each side of hinder margin of disk, and in a white spot at posterior ends of branchiostegal rays. Total length a little less than 2 inches. St. Paul Island, Alaska (Garman); the young taken by us in the harbor of Unalaska. (yvupzvds, tadpole; wy, appear- ance.) Cyclopteroides gyrinops, GARMAN, Mon. Discoboli, in Memoirs Mus. Comp. Zool., Cambridge, 37, 1892, St. Paul Island, Alaska. 782. CYCLOPTERICHTHYS, Steindachner. Cyclopterichthys, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitriige, x, 14, 1881 (glaber = ventricosus). Body short and thick, rounded, covered with thick, smooth skin, desti- tute of bony tubercles; tail slender, compressed, the body abruptly con- tracted to its base; head broad, obtuse; mouth oblique, the lower jaw prominent; teeth rather small, simple, hooked, sharp, in 2 rows anteriorly ; pseudobranchie large; gills 34; suborbital connected by a bony stay with the preopercle; gill opening small, above the base of the pectoral, which is broad and procurrent; ventral disk moderate, fringed. Dorsal short and high, of soft rays only, opposite the short anal, both well separated from the small caudal. (Cyclopterus; z7y4vUs, fish.) 2104 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, 2440. CYCLOPTERICHTHYS VENTRICOSUS (Pallas). Head 23; depth 34. D. 9; A.7 (8 o0r9 Pallas); P.20; C.11. Body stout, thick, short, smooth, abruptly compressed behind the body cavity. Caudal portion nearly 2 of the total length. Head about + of the length without the caudal, broad, depressed but convex on the crown, blunt and broadly rounded on the snout. Mouth wide, anterior, opening slightly upward, its corner before the middle of the eye. Teeth small, simple, in 2 series in front, and but 1 toward the sides. Pallas says of the dentition: ‘ Max- illarum margines ossei, denticulis minutis, curvulis, obtusiusculis, ionor- dinatis et inequalibus, passim geminatis asperi; quorum in superiore maxilla interiores majores.” Eye lateral, its diameter contained 7 times in the length of the head. Gill slit4in head. Dorsal short, behind the abdominal chamber, its upper extremity extending behind a vertical from the base of the caudal, margin rounded; anal smaller than the dorsal and opposed to it, though originating a trifle farther back; caudal subtruncate, rounded. Vent almost directly in the middle of the total length. Disk subcireular, with a broad cutaneous margin, 1} in head. Brownish, with numerous scattered, small, rounded spots of darker; our specimens plain blackish olive. Bering Sea; Sea of Okhotsk (Steindachner); our speci- mens from St. Paul Island, Pribilof Group; also found at Petropaulski; occasionally taken in abundance. (ventricosus, large-bellied.) Cyclopterus ventricosus, PALLAS, Spicilegia, Zool., V1, 15, t. 2, 1769, Kamchatka. Cyclopterichthys glaber, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitriige, X, 14, pl. 8, 1881, Sea of Okhotsk. Cotylis ventricosus, GUNTHER, Cat., 111, 498, 1861. Cyclopterichthys ventricosus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 745, 1883 ; GARMAN, Discoboli, 41, 1892. 783. LIPAROPS, Garman. Liparops, GARMAN, Discoboli, in Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool., 42, 1892 (stellert). A little-known genus, apparently closely allied to Cyclopterichthys, but distinguished by the elongate dorsal, the tubercles, and the dentition. One species known. (Liparis; oy, appearance.) 2441, LIPAROPS STELLERI (Pallas). Body oval, smooth, the chest in the middle, the depth 4 inches; a single series of osseous tubercles along the middle of the back to the origin of the dorsal fin; lower jaw longest; teeth slender, blunt, unequal; eyes small, high; gill opening reduced to a round foramen; opercle large. Disk between pectoral fins. Dorsal fin commencing on the middle of the back and extending to near the base of caudal; anal ending opposite dorsal; anal slender. Petropaulski, Kamchatka, where it is rare (Pallas); not seen by any recent collector. (Named for Georg Wilhelm Steller, naturalist and explorer.) Cyclopterus stelleri, PALLAS, Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat., 11, 78, 1811, Kamchatka, Harbor of Peter-and-Paul; described from manuscripts of STELLER. Cotylis stelleri, GUNTHER, Cat., 111, 499, 1861. Oyclopterichthys stelleri, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 745, 1883. Liparops stelleri, GARMAN, Discoboli, 42, 1892. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2105 Family CLXXXIII. LIPARIDIDA. (THE SEA SNAILS.) Body more or less elongate, tadpole-shaped, subcylindrical anteriorly, compressed behind, the head depressed; both head and body covered with smooth, thin skin, which is very lax. Head broad, obtuse, the snout short, wide, and blunt; third suborbital bone styliform behind, forming a bony stay articulating with the preopercle, as in Cottidw; mouth moderate, anterior, terminal, the jaws equal, or the lower included; jaws with bands of small teeth, which are simple or more or less tricuspid, usually close set, forming a pavement; no teeth on vomer or palatines; premaxil- laries protractile, little movable; opercular bones unarmed; interopercle slender, ray-like, overlying the branchiostegals; gill openings small, the membranes joined to the broad isthmus and to the humeral arch below. Branchiostegals 6. Gills 34, no slit behind the last; pseudobranchix small or wanting; dorsal fin rather long, the spines feeble and flexible, low, similar to the soft rays; anal long, similar to the soft dorsal; ventral fins I, 5, the two completely united and forming the bony center of an oval sucking disk, or else sometimes entirely wanting; pectoral fin very broad, the base procurrent, extending forward under the throat, the outline usually emarginate, some of the lower rays being produced; tail diphy- cercal; caudal fin short, convex; vertebr numerous, 35 to 50; pyloric exca numerous; no air bladder; stomach siphonal, U-shaped, intestine elongate. Genera 9; species about 40. Small, sluggish fishes, nearly all of the Arctic seas, a few belonging to the Antarctic; found adhering to rocks at various depths. The group is evidently closely allied to the Cottide, and its origin must be sought in the ancestors of such types as Psychrolutes and Cottunculus, the Cyclopteride representing a coordinate phase of degradation. The following additional characters are given by Mr. Garman: Skeleton with a somewhat larger proportion of osseous matter than that of the Cyclopter- idw. Asin that family, the skull is full on the back, as if truncate, and has no passage for muscles extending forward between the mastoid and the occipitals. Third suborbital very long, slender, and spine-like, posteriorly reaching toward the posterior margin of the preoperculum. Upper limb of preoperculum expanded. Operculum much reduced, its shape with some resemblance to that of a boot, the sole directed downward and the toe backward. Suboperculum slender, like an inverted VY with the limbs curved outward, the anterior extending forward along the preoperculum, and the posterior reaching back under the lower border of the operculum. Interoperculum long, styliform, reaching from suboperculum to articular, frequently mistaken for one of the branchiostegalrays. Rea- sons for separating this family from the Oyclopteride and placing it farther from the Cottide exist in the continuous dorsal, the connection of dorsal and anal with the caudal, the more complete transformation of the ventral rays, the more slender and spine-like suborbital process, the expanded upper limb of the preoperculum, the styliform inter- operculum, the shorter olfactory nerves, and the more elongate brain. (Garman.) Discoboli liparidina, GUNTHER, Cat., 111, 158 to 165, 1861. LIPARIDINZ:: a. Ventral disk present, large or small. b. Ventral disk normal, composed of 13 lobes, a median one in front, and one cor- responding to each of the fin rays, each lobe with a deciduous horny cover- ing or papilla. Teeth close set in pavement-like bands, tricuspid in the dD 3030 2106 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, young, some or all becoming angular or bluntly arrow-shaped in the adult: caudal fin well developed, rather broad. c. Dorsal fin divided by a deep notch, which separates the slender spines from the soft rays. NEOLIPARIS, 784. cc. Dorsal fin continuous, the spines not separated from the soft rays. LIpPARIs, 785. bb. Ventral disk more or less reduced in size or degraded in structure, becoming anterior in position; teeth simple or tricuspid only in the very young; ver- tebrae numerous. d. Caudal well developed; teeth slender, curved, in cardiform bands, the inner longer, depressible; ventral disk large; skeleton very soft. BATHYPHASMA, 786. dd. Caudal fin slender, not distinct from other vertical fins; teeth simple in the adult; vertebre numerous; dorsal rays 35 to 50; anal 33 to 46. Anterior nostrils usually without tubes; ventral disk very small, nearly under the eye; the vent close behind it. e. Pectoral fins with the lower lobe well developed; gill openings mod- erate or small, not greatly reduced. CAREPROCTUS, 787. ee. Pectoral fins not notched, the Jower lobe obsolete, the rays progress- ively shortened; gill openings reduced to a small pore. GYRINICHTHYS, 788. AMITRINZ: aa. Ventral disk entirely wanting; no ventral fins; teeth mostly simple in the adult; vertebre and fin rays in large number. f. Pseudobranchie present; lower lobe of pectoral produced. AMITRA, 789. jf. Pseudobranchie wanting. g. Tip of snout without barbel. PARALIPARIS, 790. gg. Tip of snout with a pair of barbels; snout projecting. RHINOLIPARIS, 791. 784. NEOLIPARIS, Steindachner. Neoliparis, STEINDACANER, Ichth. Beitr., 10, 54, 1875 (mucosus). This genus differs from Liparis in having a deep notch in the dorsal fin anteriorly, separating the spines from the soft rays. The species approach more nearly to the Cottoid type, from which the Liparids are descended. In general the vertebr are fewer, the fin rays fewer, the ventral disk larger, and the vertical fins better separated than in the more degenerate members of the family. The retention of the notch between the dorsals fully justifies the recognition of Neoliparis as a distinct genus. (véos, new; Liparis.) ; a. Gill opening very narrow, almost entirely above base of pectoral, the lower edge not below third pectoral ray. b. Anterior nostrils with distinct tubes. c. Dorsal spines in the male greatly elevated, not connected by membranes except at extreme base. d. Dorsal rays about 25; anal 23; head small; ventral disk small. ATLANTICUS, 2442. dd. Dorsalrays 26; anal23; headlarger; ventral disk comparatively large. RUTTERI, 2443. cc. Dorsal spines not especially elevated; dorsal rays 34 to 36; anal rays 25 to 28; lower jaw included; form rather elongate, the head depressed; ventral disk 2} in head. Color pale, irregularly dotted with darker, sometimes plain brownish. CALLYODON, 2444. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 2107 bb. Anterior nostrils with a raised rim, and without distinct tubes; head short, blunt, 4 in length; ventral disk very large, 1}in head; snout blunt; mouth very short, its cleft almost entirely anterior, the maxillary scarcely reach- ing eye; dorsal rays 32; anal 26. Color plain rosy or brownish, not spotted. MUCOSUS, 2445. aa. Gill opening rather large, its base opposite 4 or 5 upper rays of pectoral; body deep posteriorly; nostrils with raised rim, but without distinct tubes; ventral disk moderate, 24 to 24 in head; head about 3% in body, depressed above; cleft of mouth broader, partly lateral, nearly 3in head. Color plain brownish or red- dish. e. Dorsal VI, 27; anal 21 to 23; pectoral 30; fleshfirm. FLOR, 2446. ee. Dorsal VI, 34; anal 30; pectoral 35; flesh lax. GREENI, 2447. eee. Dorsal VI, 28; anal 26; pectoral 36. FISSURATUS, 2448, 2442. NEOLIPARIS ATLANTICUS, Jordan & Evermann, new species. Head 4%; depth 4 to 44. D. VI, 25; A.23; P.30. Eye 5 in head; snout 3; ventral disk 1} to 2. Body widest at gill opening, compressed posteri- orly ; deepest below third dorsal spine; head broader than deep, depressed above the eyes; mouth narrow, its cleft transverse and extending to ante- rior nostril; lower jaw included; teeth tricuspid, the middle cusps highest; gill openings very narrow, the lower border opposite first ray of pectoral; anterior nostril tubular, the tube 2 of eye; posterior nostril with a low flap; skin loose, lying in folds. Origin of dorsal not far behind pectoral, its distance from tip of snout 4 its distance to base of caudal. Dorsal with a very shallow notch, the spines nearly continuous with the soft rays; in the males much elevated, the tips thickened and membranes deeply incised; the first or longest spine as long as head; the sixth or last not quite $ head; middle rays of soft dorsal 2 in head; dorsal and anal joined to base of caudal; caudal nearly as long as head; pectoral almost reaching anal, slightly longer than head; lower rays exserted, forming a slight lobe. Color reddish brown, with small scattered light or bluish dots over the body; fins darker, clouded with pale, the dorsal broadly edged with darker. The specimen here described, 37215 U.S. Nat. Mus., is about 5 inches long, from Godbout, Quebec. Numerous other specimens from Salem (20367) and Woods Hole, Massachusetts (40118), agree with this, the females having the first dorsal much lower. It is generally common along rocky shores from Newfoundland to Cape Cod. This species has been repeatedly recorded under the name Liparis montagui, Donovan, but it is not identical with the European species of that name. The published figures of NV. montagui show a deeper fish with larger head, and with the spinous dorsal very low, and scarcely distinct from the soft rays. Day’s figure looks remarkably unlike our fish. Unfortunately the European specimens of Neoliparis montagui in the National Museum are all too small for satisfactory comparison. * Neoliparis atlanticus, JORDAN & EVERMANN, new species, Godbout, Quebec. (Type, No. 37215. Liparis Re CuvigR, Régne Anim. Ed. I, vol. 2, 227, 1817; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synop- sis, 743,1883, in part; GARMAN, Discoboli, 47, 1892, with plate, and of authors generally. *Dr. Boulenger has kindly sent us the following note on Liparis montagui: I have examined about a dozen of our British Liparis montagui, of all sizes up to5inches. The anterior dorsal looks very indistinct, has no detached portion, and none of its rays are ever produced into filaments. 2108 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. Cyclopterus montacuti, TURVON, British Fauna, 115, 1807; after DONOVAN. Liparis gobius, Cuvier, Régne Anim., I, 227, 1817; after Gobiws, MULLER, Zool. Dan., Iv, 16, 1806. Cyclopterus liparoides, NILsson, Prodr. Ichth. Seand., 62. Lepadogaster cornubiensis, THOMPSON, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1835, 81, Cornwall. Liparis reticulata, Coucn, Brit. Fish., 1, 195, 1863. Liparis ekstrémi, Liivken, Vid. Medd. Nat. For. Kjébenh. 1865, 221. Liparis maculatus, MAM, Forh. Skand. Naturf. 1865, 412. Liparis montagui, with varieties principalis, maculatus, annulatus, striatus, pictus, obscurus, liparoides and ekstromi, MAM, Bohuslins Fauna, 103, 1877. Prof. Robert Collett (Christiania Vidensk. Selsk. Férh., 1879, 38) has assigned names to the many color variations of Neoliparis montagui as shown in Norway, as follows: Var. a. principalis, Collett, uniform colored; light red yellow with microscopic brownish dots. The common form from Christiania, Stavanger, Flor., onear Bergen, Komags- bjord in Finmarken. Liparis montagui, MaLm, Gétheborg og Bohuslins Fauna, 451, 1877. : Var. b. maculatus, Malm, dark grayish yellow, the whole body strewn with many rows of small brown spots, smaller than the eye and sharply defined. Bukn and Bohuslan. Liparis maculatus, MALM, Foérh. Skand. Naturf., 9, 1863, 412. Var. c. annulatus, Collett, reddish gray yellow, with large, irregular red-brown rings of the same length and breadth; on sides of head the rings becoming stripes; Christiansand. Var. d. striatus, Collett, color of c, the rings drawn out into lines; the rings only seen in front of first dorsal; about 6 longitudinal red-brown stripes from gill opening to caudal. Bergen. Liparis lineatus, MAM, Forh. Sk. Forh., 9, 1863, 412. Var. e. pictus, Collett, as in striatus, but the lines very numerous, close set, irregularly vermiculate, with much cross netting or partial rings. Bergen. Finmarken. Var. f. obscurus, Collett, gray brown with many dark brown spots and specks on body and fins; irregular cross bands on caudal; back almost uniform gray brown. Hardanger Fjord. Var. g. liparoides, Nilsson, uniform dark gray brown, the color given by innumerable dark points; trace of band at tip of caudal; paler below. Hardanger, Oetjord in Finmarken Tromse. Oyclopterus liparoides, Nitsson, Prodr. Ichth. Scand., 62, 1832. Var. h. ekstrémi, Malm, dark brown, sides strewn with grayish yellow small spots which extend on vertical fins. Bohusliin. Liparis ekstrémi, Matm, Fork. Sk., Naturf., 9, 1863, 412. These are evidently mere color forms, expressing the range of variation. Similar color forms may be seen in most of the bright-colored species, pulchellus, agassizti, aleuticus. They are not in any proper sense subspecies, having no geographical bases or separate lines of descent. 2443. NEOLIPARIS RUTTERI, Gilbert & Snyder, new species. Head 33; depth 44. D. VI, 26; A. 23; P.30; eye 5 in head; snout 23; ventral disk 12. Body widest at gill opening, gradually tapering poste- riorly, deepest below third dorsal spine; depth of caudal peduncle 4 in head, Head broader than deep, its depth at occiput 6 in body. Mouth narrow, its cleft almost wholly transverse, extending to vertical from anterior nostril; lower jaw included; teeth tricuspid, the middle cusp highest, arranged in 10 oblique series on each half of the upper and the lower jaws. Gill opening very narrow, restricted to the area above base of pectoral. Anterior nostrils tubular; posterior nostrils with a low rim, the anterior part of which is elevated into a triangular flap. Skin loose, lying in folds and wrinkles. Origin of dorsal at {the distance from tip of snout to caudal; rays of first dorsal (in the types which are apparently all males) separate almost to base, each ray bordered with a thick mem- Jordan and Evermann,—Fishes of North America, 2109 brane, the margin thus formed sometimes incised, producing short, rounded lobes; first spine highest, its height contained 43 in body, the succeeding spines gradually growing shorter, the sixth contained 114 times in body. Height of second dorsal near its middle, 3 in head; dorsal and anal joined by membranes to base of caudal, the anal more broadly joined than the dorsal, attached to basal fifth of lowest caudal ray; caudal rounded posteriorly, its length 44 in body; origin of anal below first ray of sec- ond dorsal; height of anal a little less than that of dorsal; pectoral extending to a vertical crossing body halfway between anus and origin of anal fin; length of pectoral 54 in body, its upper part rounded posteri- orly; the fifth, sixth, and seventh rays from below elongated, with exserted tips, forming a short lobe. Long diameter of ventral disk 6 in body. Vent slightly nearer to margin of disk than to origin of anal fin. Color bluish slate, lighter along middle of sides; belly and gill membranes whitish; pectorals, anal, and posterior half of dorsal very narrowly edged with white; rays of first dorsal indistinctly barred. In the following table the measurements of 3 specimens are expressed in hundredths of the length of the body: | No. 1. | No. 2. | No. 3. Length, in millimeters, to base of caudal fin. --.| 37 44 50 Length of head in body.........-.-+--2-+--+-+-- eae 2e 26 27 Depth of body ses. sess52 ss = see osiso cake cae se 20 20 23 Distance from snout to dorsal ...---------------| 33 31 34 Distance from snout to anal....-...-..------.--- | 50 47 48 Depthiof caudal peduncle: sy. --ss--e + s22-se- === | leeeeket 7 8 benothof snouts =... sa-6esceee-se see ace ee ae oe 10 11 11 EDTA GS GE TEO fie yO ae eter ate aerate eae eer | 5 5 5 Wadthwoimmouthies ce-sseeees a sre cc ema ae 11 12 12 WidthiotsoilMopenin ge. mee nee esa na as aes seer 43 5 5 Meightiot first dorsal ray-.c.-s-- 2-3-2 ean 18 23 22 Height of dorsal fin near middle......-..-....-- 8 7k 8 ei ohiiot amaleae seis cae stecteniels sine nielteisia ela lool | 6 | 7 7 meno uNOie pe Chola cance clean ceo eerie ee | 18 20 21 Longitudinal diameter of disk.........--...---- | 15 16 16 Menethiot caudal oj saste a= oss) =a cialis ae = = 18 19 20 NIM ET Ob COPSHUTAY Ss ajatiqcleroe ain ne s=eenee so VI, 26 | VI, 26 | VI, 26 ieNiomibenot janalinayse cia ccee +. acies see tai= tae aie 24 24 23 NmmMP EO LepeGcOLalrayS)sa s2-caes sae eee a nellesacae a 30 30 Namib eof Cad alr ays emcee mam easier ale clelnisicie'e 12 13 Neoliparis rutteri is closely related to the Atlantic species, Neoliparis atlanticus. It differs from it in the longer head, and the comparatively larger ventral disk. The 2 species differ from all other known species of the genus in having the dorsal spines in the male greatly elevated and not connected by membrane except at extreme base. From N. jflorw and N. greeni, N. rutteri differs also in having a much smaller gill opening and 2110 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. fewer dorsal rays; and from N. mucosus in having the pectoral more deeply notched and the anterior nostrils with a tube. Kadiak Island, Alaska. Known from numerous specimens, the longest 61 mm. in length. (Gilbert & Snyder.) (Named for Cloudsley Rutter, now of the U.S. Fish Commis- sion who collected in Kadiak in 1896.) Neoliparis rutteri, GILBERT & SNYDER, MS., Fishes of Kadiak, Ugah Bay, Kadiak Island. (Coll. Cloudsley Rutter. Type, No. 5701, L. 8. Jr. Univ. Mus.) 2444, NEOLIPARIS CALLYODON (Pallas). Head 34; depth 44. D. VII, 33; A. 26; pectoral 31; candal 14 to 16; eye 64; snout 24; pectoral 13; ventral disk-2}; caudal 2. Body moderately elongate, compressed posteriorly; depth of head 13 in its length, breadth 14; mouth rather large, the maxillary buried under the skin, reaching slightly past anterior edge of eye; teeth small, tricuspid, in about 8 oblique rows; snout blunt and rounded; interorbital space wide and slightly convex; posterior nostril ending in a short wide tube, the anterior much smaller; behind the posterior nostril, over anterior edge of eye, is a mucous pore; length of gill opening twice the diameter of the eye, its lower third in front of pectoral, extending down to the second or third ray; vent about midway between posterior edge of ventral disk front of anal; pectorals short and broad, with the usual notch below, reaching slightly past vent; ventral disk a little longer than broad, its distance from tip of lower jaw equaling its diameter; origin of dorsal directly over vent, a shallow notch separating its spines from its rays; front of anal much nearer snout than base of caudal, directly under dorsal notch; dorsal and anal scarcely joined to caudal; caudal long and slender, rounded behind. Among our specimens are 2 types of coloration; the first is uniform light olive brown on back, white below; fins all colorless; the other is light brown on back and sides, everywhere spotted with blackish spots irregular in size; lower parts light; pectoral with indistinct dark cross markings; dorsal and anal mottled and spotted with blackish, darker posteriorly; caudal very dark, black posteriorly; lips dusky. Coasts of Alaska and Bering Sea, west to Kamchatka; generally common on rocky shores; recorded from St. Panl, Kamchatka, Plover Bay, Siberia, Unalaska, and Kadiak; our specimens from the 2 islands last named; the description from Unalaska specimens collected by the Albatross, the longest 5 inches long. This species is evidently the original Cyclopterus callyodon of Pallas, as is shown by the coloration, the small mouth, and the reduced size of the gill openings. It differs from Neoliparis mucosus in the much smaller ventral disk, the presence of nasal papille, as well as in proportions and coloration, (xa’AAos, beauty; ddovs, tooth, from the tricuspid teeth which Pallas had never before seen in a fish.) Cyclopterus callyodon, PALLAS,* Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat., 11, 75, 1811, Kamchatka and Aleutian Islands. *The following is the substance of the account given by Pallas: Dorsal 33; anal 24; caudal 15; branchiostegals 6; dorsal and anal fins continued nearly to the base of the cau- dal. Body oblong, compressed; the head depressed; the snout much depressed, rounded ; lower jaw included. ‘Teeth with 3 distinct lobes; a slender bone from the eye to the pre- operculum: gill openings reduced to lunate spiracles, on each side; ventral disk small Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2111 Liparis callyodon, GUNTHER, Cat., 111, 162, 1861; BEAN, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 247, 271; JORDAN & GILBERT,* Synopsis, 743, 1883. 2445. NEOLIPARIS MUCOSUS (Ayres). Head 4 in length; depth 44. D. VI, 26; A.26; pectoral 29; caudal 12; eye 7 in head; snout 3; ventral disk 13; pectoral 12; longest dorsal ray 2; highest anal ray 2; caudal 1}. Body not greatly elongate, rather robust, compressed posteriorly, holding its width well past middle of body; head short and thick, broader than body, 4 longer than broad, its length 1? times its depth; mouth small, truncate, its cleft almost entirely anterior, scarcely extending laterally; end of maxillary buried under the skin, barely reaching to eye; nostrils not ending in tubes; lower jaw slightly the shorter; teeth sharp, tricuspid, the middle cusp much the highest and longest, arranged in 9 oblique series in each jaw, becoming more and more oblique toward the sides; interorbital space moderately wide, about 34 in head, a little convex; gill slit not extending below upper edge of pectoral, its length about 14 times eye and 3 in ventral disk. Pec- toral broadly rounded when spread, its notch comparatively very shallow, its tip reaching past vent but not to notch in dorsal; ventral disk large, slightly longer than broad, its posterior margin almost midway between its anterior and front of anal, its anterior margin } its length from chin; dorsal with a shallow notch; origin of fin over posterior margin of ventral disk, its longest rays in its posterior half; origin of anal a little nearer snout than base of caudal, the last 4 or 5 rays rapidly shortened, making the fin truncate behind; dorsal and anal scarcely joined to caudal; caudal long and slender, rounded behind. Color olive brown, light below; indistinctly mottled; dorsal and anal darker at their margins; pectorals uniform dark brown; caudal light, with indistinct cross lines; lips dark. Coast of California. Here described from the only specimen known to us, 5 inches in length, from near San Francisco. It is now in the collec- tion of the California Academy of Sciences (No. 360). Collected by H. D. Dunn, off San Francisco. (mucosus, slimy.) Liparis mucosus,t AYRES, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci., I, 1855, 24, San Francisco (Coll. W. O. Ayres) ; GUNTHER, Cat., I, 559, 1861; STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitr., 111, 54, 1875; JORDAN & GIL- BERT, Synopsis, 744, 1883; description copied from STEINDACHNER. Liparis mucosus, GARMAN, Discoboli, 52, 1892, with plates, figures and description in part; account of the gill openings apparently taken from Liparis jlore. Neoliparis mucosus, JORDAN & STARKS, Proc.Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 832, pl. xcy. 2446. NEOLIPARIS FLORE, Jordan & Starks. Head 3? in length of body; depth at ventral disk 54; depth under mid- dle of soft dorsal 44. D. VI, 27; A. 21 to 23; caudal 15; pectoral 30; between the branchiostegals; dorsal-commencing a little behind the gill opening. Yel- lowish brown above; skin everywhere with brown dots; a silvery streak from the upper jaw through the eye and opercles. Kamchatka; common along the shores and about the (Aleutian) Islands. (Pallas.) ao * Described from a small specimen with injured fins lately reexamined by us, in the collection of the Alaska Commercial Company, Unalaska. (Coll. A. Greenebaum.) +The description of Ayres is not very full and might apply almost equally well to Liparis fore. The account of the head (4 in length) and the eye (nearly 6 in head) point rather to the present species as does also the description of the lax skin. Steindachner’s account seems also to refer to the present species, although few of the really distinctive characters are mentioned by him. 2112 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. eye 7 in head; interorbital space 22; maxillary 2}; pectoral 12; ventral disk 24. Body moderately elongate, much compressed posteriorly, about as wide as deep anteriorly, its greatest depth under middle of soft dorsal where the back is elevated. Flesh very firm, the body retaining its form, the skin loose but not flaccid. Head small, the nape not produced; mouth moderate, the maxillary extending to below the anterior margin of orbit. jaws subequal; teeth tricuspid, arranged in series which are nearly trans- verse on middle of jaws, becoming more and more oblique toward the sides, the outermost series nearly parallel with the sides of jaws; nostrils ending in a short, wide tube; gill opening short, extending downward to about the fifth pectoral ray, its length about 4 interorbital space; oper- cle ending in a flap, which extends over middle of gill opening; ventral disk slightly longer than wide, its distance from tip of lower jaw 1} times its length; vent equidistant from posterior edge of ventral disk and front of anal; skin thick and not very loose. Origin of spinous dorsal a little in front of the vertical from vent, its distance from snout 3 in length of body; anterior part of dorsal separated by a notch; origin of anal about equidistant from snout and base of caudal fin; some of the lower rays of pectoral produced forming a notch in the lower posterior margin of fin, the fourth to the tenth of the upper rays the longest, form- ing a rounded point behind, extending slightly past the vertical from snout; dorsal and anal scarcely connected with the caudal; caudal long and slender, rounded behind. Color, a uniform dark olive green, under parts white, a light streak medially along back from dorsal to occiput, a light spot over opercle; pectoral light at base, dusky behind; other fins colored like the body; lips white. The specimen described above, 4 inches long, taken in rock pool on Waadda Island, Neah Bay. A second specimen, about 5 inches long, is in the museum of the California Academy of Sci- ences. It was collected off San Francisco by Mr. H. D. Dunn. In this specimen, the dorsal rays are VI, 27; anal 25; pectoral 30; caudal 15; teeth blunt. Flesh firm; form and color of the young example above described. San Franciscoto Puget Sound. (Named for Mrs. Flora Hartley Greene, then assistant curator of the museum of Leland Stanford Jr. Uni- versity.) Liparis cyclopus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 743, 1883; not GUNTHER. Neoliparis flore, JORDAN & STARKS, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 830, pl. 96, Waadda Island, Neal. Bay. (Type, No. 3133, L. 8. Jr. Univ. Mus. Coll. E. C. Starks.) 2447. NEOLIPARIS G@REENTI, Jordan & Starks. Head 34; depth 4; depth at disk 5. D. VI, 34; A. 30; pectoral 35; caudal 15; eye small, about 10 in head; snout 23; longest pectoral ray 13; disk 2!; longest dorsal ray 2}; longest anal ray 2}; caudal 12. Body elongate, posteriorly compressed; profile undulate, over snout blunt and rounded, depressed over eyes, well rounded from eyes over occipital region. Skin thin and exceedingly loose nearly to the end of the dorsal and anal rays. Jaws equal; maxillary extending to posterior margin of eye; teeth small, nearly simple, depressible and blunt, slightly hooked back, arranged in oblique series, those in the front running nearly straight in, but toward Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2113 the sides of the jaw they grow more and more oblique till they are nearly paraliel with the jaw at the sides; superior pharyngeal teeth conical and sharp, slightly longer than the teeth in the jaws, arranged in a single round patch on each side; inferior pharyngeals separate, with small teeth. (Teeth probably tricuspid in the young.) Posterior nostrils in a short, wide tube; cheeks well rounded; gill rakers short and thick, no longer on the outer side of the first arch than on the other arches, fourth arch not free; gill slit short, its length contained about 3 times in head, its lower edge extending in front of pectoral to about the third ray; opercles with a blunt spine which is covered by the skin. Dorsals 2, con- nected by a low membrane; first dorsal about twice as high as anterior part of second dorsal; the first rays of pectorals inserted under eye and in front of disk; the anterior rays short, graduated to the sixth ray, which is about 4 times longer than the first, the next few rays again short and gradually lengthening posteriorly; posterior rays 4 longer than ante- rior, fin broadly rounded behind; ventral disk nearly round, its posterior edge reaching the vertical from gill slit, its distance from tip of lower jaw 1} times its length; caudal truncate or slightly rounded; vent under ends of pectorals. Color, in alcohol, uniform brown, breast and lower parts of head creamy, fins slightly darker. When fresh the sides were blotched with pinkish. Esquimault Harbor, near Victoria, Vancouver Island; known only from the type, 10 inches long. (Named for Mr. Ashdown H. Green, of Victoria, president of the Natural History Society of that town.) Neoliparis greeni, JORDAN & STARKS, Proce. Cal. Ac. Sci., 1895, 829, pl.96, Victoria, Van- couver Island. (Type, No. 3010, L,S.Jr. Univ. Mus. Coll, Ashdown H. Green.) 2448. NEOLIPARIS FISSURATUS, Starks. Head 34in body; depth 44. D. VI, 28; A.26; P.36; C.14; eye7 in head; maxillary 2}; ventral disk 2}. Body moderately elongate, not produced at nape; mouth rather large, the maxillary extending to below middle of eye; jaws subequal; teeth tricuspid, arranged in about 10 oblique series in each jaw; nostrils ending in short, wide tubes; gill openings wider than in any other known Neoliparis, commencing a distance above pectoral about equal to the diameter of eye, ending about opposite the fourteenth ray ; ven- tral disk a little longer than wide, its distance from chin equal to 14 its long- est diameter, its posterior edge about the same distance from front of anal; vent nearer anal than ventral disk, its distance from anal equal to } ven- tral disk. Origin of spinous dorsal at the vertical from midway between vent and ventral disk; dorsal scarcely joined to caudal, anal very slightly; front of anal nearer chin than base of caudal by a distance equal to ven- tral disk; pectoral rather short and wide, reaching to opposite front of anal, the lower lobe very narrow and long, much longer than upper lobe, but not reaching so far posteriorly on account of the oblique position of the fin; tip of lower lobe reaching to vent; length of caudal 12 in head. Color dusky, darker above, sides with fine punctulations; belly and under parts of head, except chin, white; lips dusky; dorsals and anal darker than body; pectoral dusky at base, the lower lobe dark; caudal crossed with wavy dark lines. This species differs from the other species in this 2114 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. genus in having a wider gill opening, and in various minor characters. Length 24 inches. Puget sound; only the type known. (Starks.) (jis- suratus, split.) Neoliparis fissuratus, STARKS, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1896, 560. (Type, No. 5044, L.S.Jr. Univ. Mus. Coll. E.C. Starks.) 785. LIPARIS* (Artedi) Scopoli. (SEA SNAILS.) Liparis, ARTEDI, Genera, 117, 1738 (nonbinomial). Cyclogaster, GRONOW, Museum, 1763, 157 (nonbinomial). Liparis, Scoroui, Introd. Hist. Nat., 453, 1777 (liparis). Liparis, Cuvier, Régne Anim. Ed. 1, 1817 (liparis; not Liparis, Ochsenheimer, 1810, a genus of Lepidoptera). Cyclogaster, GRoNOW, Cat. Fishes, Ed. Gray, 40,1854 (liparis; not of Macquart, 1854, a genus of flies). Actinochir, G1Lu, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1864, 193 (major). Careliparis, GARMAN, Discoboli, 56, 1892 (agassizit). Tyoliparis, JORDAN & EVERMANN, Check-List Fishes, 451, 1896 (pulchellus). Body rather elongate, covered with smooth skin, which is usually freely movable; head short; flattened above; mouth horizontal, the jaws equal or the lower jaw included; teeth in several series, close set, always more or less tricuspid, the adult with the outer cusps often worn or obliterated ; maxillary covered by skin of preorbital region; anterior nostrils tubular or not; ventral disk well developed on the breast, its front below or behind the middle of the head, its surface with 13 lobes; an anterior median lobe, - and 1 corresponding to each of the 6 rays in each fin; each lobe with a horny papilla covering, which is sometimes lost; vent well behind the head, about midway between the sucking disk and anal fin; dorsal fin continuous, undivided, its spines not differentiated; caudal well de- veloped; dorsal fin free from caudal or joined; pectoral broad, procurrent at base, emarginate and free at tips, some of the lower rays produced; vertical fins enveloped in the lax skin; vertebrae 35 to 55. Northern seas near the shores; the species less arctic in distribution and in general inhabiting shallower water than is the case with Careproctus and Para- liparis, a fact associated with the reduced number of vertebre in Liparis. The species are numerous, but in general well defined, their characters varying with age. In most of the species color varieties occur, several (pulchellus, liparis, aleuticus, agassizii) having the body often marked everywhere with concentric curved stripes or rings. (Azwapos, sleek- skinned.) Concerning the species of Liparis (including Neoliparis), Mr. Garman observes: The fishes placed in this genus are mostly small; in general their outlines resemble those of larval anurous batrachians. The anterior portion of the body, containing the abdominal chamber, is usually short, broad, flattened beneath, and somewhat angular * Bnantioliparis, Vaillant, is based on pallidus, an Antarctic species with the pectoral very narrow and not emarginate; would seem to be distinct from Liparis. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2115 toward the dorsal fin, while the hinder part is elongate, much compressed, and tapering. The more important of the distinguishing features may be summarized as follows: Head short, broad, rounded; snout short, blunt; mouth anterior; lips distinct; teeth small, numerous, in a cardiform band, tricuspid on intermaxillaries and dentary, simple on pharyngeals; eyes lateral, small to medium; nostrils, 2 on each side, with short, project- ing tubes; olfactory nerve short; brain elongate; glossohyal rudimentary or absent; gills 3 double and 1 single; gill rakers with denticles; pseudobranchiw present; gill opening small, above the pectoral; branchiostegal rays 6; branchial membranes not free; tubes and pores of the lateral system forward of the gill aperture; dorsal and anal elongate, more or less closely united with the caudal, with some anterior rays unsegmented; pec- torals broad, procurrent under the throat; ventrals transformed into an adhesive disk, situated below the gills between the pectorals; skin thin, loosely attached, smooth, except- ing a sexual outgrowth on males in breeding season; stomach siphonal; pylorie ceca numerous; intestine elongate; urinary bladder large, simple; kidneys long, fused a por- tion of their length; liver large, with partial divisions into lobes; gall bladder small, rounded; skeleton not heavily ossified, less in deep-sea forms; upper limb of preopercu- lum expanded backward; operculum small; suboperculum narrow; interoperculum elon- gate, styliform; third suborbital produced backward, in a long, slender process, to the hinder edge of the preoperculum. The species of Liparis inhabit the colder waters of the north and of the south of both Atlantie and Pacific, ranging to great depths. Among those frequenting the shores, if not also the others, vegetation seems to form a portion of the food. The contents o: the stomachs are miscellaneous lots of small marine animals (crustacea, worms, mollusks, small fishes, etc.), mixed with which are quantities of seaweeds. Some variation exists in regard to feeding habits among the different species. The teeth of some show no signs of wear from hard food, but in L. mucosus they are ground off and blunted, no doubt by contact with the hard-shelled crustacea and hard-scaled agonoid fishes, remains of which are found in the stomachs. Very likely L. pulchellus turns his peculiar snout to account by rooting in the mud or sand among the plants, or in turning over the pebbles. Certain species are fitted for a life in beds of seaweed, others are probably more abundant in rocky places. LIPARIS: a. Vertebr in moderate number, about 39; dorsal rays about 35; anal rays 27 to 30. b. Gill openings very narrow, entirely above base of pectoral; pectoral rays from 34 to 37; head a little shorter than broad, and a little longer than deep; dorsal and anal slightly joined to caudal; caudal narrow, its rays 12. LIPARIS, 2449. bb. Gill openings broad, the lower part considerably below base of upper ray of pectoral. c. Pectoral rays 30; head low, flattish, 4 longer than broad, 4 broader than deep; jaws subequal; dorsal free from caudal, which is slightly joined to anal; caudal narrow, of 12 rays. CYCLOPUS, 2450. cc. Pectoral rays 41 to 43; head short, not quite as wide as long; caudal 15 to 20; the dorsal and anal slightly joined to its base. FUCENSIS, 2451. CARELIPARIS (kapa, head; Liparis) : aa. Vertebre about 46; dorsal rays 39 to 44; anal rays 33 to 36; dorsal and anal largely joined to caudal. d. Pectoral rays 30 to 36. e. Gill opening small, its lower edge not below first ray of pectoral; nostrils small, the tubes short or absent. f. Posterior nostril scarcely tubular; fins plain, not distinctly mottled or barred; body robust; its color plain brownish or with dark spots. g- Dorsal rays 39 or 40; anal 33; pectoral 30 to 34. TUNICATUS, 2452. gg. Dorsa) rays 44; anal 35; pectoral 37. HERSCHELINUS, 2453. #. Posterior nostril tubular, fins more or less mottled or barred, body moderately elongate; lower rays of pectoral rather short, not 4 head, not reaching beyond ventral disk; body mottled usually with con- centric rings. AGASSIZ, 2454. 1116 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. ee. Gill opening rather large, extending downward to about fourth ray of pectoral; nostrils with short tubes; lower lobe of pectoral long, reach- ‘ing much beyond disk, nearly to vent; color brown, the body and fins mottled and clouded. : DENNYI, 2455. dd. Pectoral rays 42; gill opening large, its lower edge below upper part of pec- toral; bedy robust, translucent, covered with round crimson spots. CYCLOSTIGMA, 2456. aaa. Vertebre about 52; dorsal rays 45 to 48; anal rays 38 to 40; pectoral rays 34 to 37; dorsal and anal largely joined to caudal; gill opening large, about 4 its length before pectoral; anterior nostril tubular. LYOLIPARIS (Avw, to loosen; Liparis) : h. Head broad, flattened above; body rather elongate; skin usually with wavy concentric longitudinal streaks, sometimes spotted. PULCHELLUS, 2457. A CTINOCHIR (akris, ray; Xetp, hand; from the broad pectoral) : hh. Head high, boldly rounded, with prominent nape; color olivaceous, clouded and dotted, but without wavy streaks. MAJOR, 2458. Subgenus LIPARIS (Artedi) Scopoli. 2449. LIPARIS LIPARIS * (Linnzus). (SEA SNAIL.) Head 34; depth 34; D. 33 to 35; A. 27 to 29; pectoral 34 to 37; caudal 12 to 14; vert. 38 or 39; cca 10 to 13; branchiostegals 6. Body moderately stout, somewhat high on the shoulders, compressed behind the body cavity in the caudal portion, which is deep and rather thick ante- riorly, tapering rapidly. Body proper about 4 of the entire length to the base of the tail. Length of the head little less than its width, a little more than itsdepth. Snoutshort, broad, blunt, nearly 3}times in the head, very convex in the internasal region. Mouth moderate, maxillary reach- ing a vertical from the eye, lower jaw shorter. Teeth small, paved, alternating in the different rows, tricuspid. Lower lip interrupted in the middle, 4+ or more of its length. The fold above the upper lip with 6 to 8 notches below the opening of the pores. A series of 6 pores on each side, from the middle of the fold above the upper lip passes backward and * Prof. Robert Collett (Christiania Vidensk. Selsk. Férh., 1879, No. 1, 42), defines the chief color varieties of this’species as seen in Norway, as follows: Var.a. assimilis, Collett: uniform light reddish gray, the dots microscopic. Christiania, Bukn, Stavanger, Lofoten; scarce. Var.b. stellatus, Malm: uniform light gray brown, the fins with vertical dark cross bands; dots larger. Christiania, Vadso, ete. Liparis stellatus, Malm, Foérh. Skand. Nat., 9, 1863, 412. Var.c. subfuscus, Collett: almost uniform ground color, with dark points; light red cross bands on fins; body faintly marbled. Christiania, Farsund, Varanger. Var. d. scorpioides, Collett: color pale, with large. irregular, dark spots. Varanger. Var.e. mixtus, Collett: spotted and striped; dark spots on fins; along sides and on fins interrupted dark stripes: ring-like lines on head. Lofoten. Var.f. decorus, Collett: striped and spotted; fins spotted; notable stripes on sides. Christiansund and Lofoten. Var. g. scriptus, Collett: striped, the dark stripes larger and more conspicuous, the streaks of ground color fainter. Bukn, Christiania. Var.h. lineatus, Kroyer: striped with & to 10 violet longitudinal stripes, alternating with pale streaks of the ground color. Liparis lineatus, Kroyer, Nat. ‘Tidskr. 1847, 284. Var.i. arcticus, Collett: uniform brown; grayish golden brown with many dark points, which make the surface dark. Troms6, Spitzbergen, Magdalene Bay, in Greenland. Var. k. fuseus, Collett: uniform blackish brown, very dark. North Cape, Spitzbergen, Greenland, As noticed under Neoliparis montagui, these variations seem to have no taxonomic value, being products of the immediate surroundings. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2117 curves up behind the eye; another series of 7 on each side passes from the middle of the chin back and upward toward the upper edge of the gill opening. Eye small, nearly as long as the snout, contained 41 times in the length of the head, or less than twice in the convex interorbital space. Nasal tubules short; posterior smaller between the eyes; anterior farther forward, larger. A large pore is situated a short distance in front of the nostril toward the tip of the snout. Gill openings narrow, not as wide as the eye, above the base of the pectoral. Nape and shoulders high. Cheeks swollen. Skin smooth, thin, easily detached. Dorsal and anal fins rising gradually, the rays attaining their greatest height in the hinder third of the length, united with the caudal by membrane. The separation of the 3 fins is less marked than in N. montagui, so much so that it is difficult in some cases to determine whether certain rays belong to the caudal. Dorsal notch shallow or absent, most noticeable in the breeding season. First ray little farther back than the opercular angle, or the hinder edge of the disk; 5 or 6 of the anterior rays crooked and twisted, and without apparent segmentation. Evidently these rays are affected by a nuptial growth, which is not so patent above the skin, on the ends of rays, as in other species. In the anal the first ray is about opposite the seventh or eighth ray of the dorsal; the fin extends farther back than the latter, reaching under nearly 4 of the caudal. Caudal slightly rounded posteriorly, the longest rays being $ to 3 of length of the head. Disk subcireular, 4 as long as the head, equal the distance from the chin, less than the distance to the anal. Vent nearly halfway from disk to first anal ray, which latter is halfway between the snout and the base of the caudal. The position varies in the sexes. The body cav- ity is longer in the females, and the vent is farther back; this applies to all the species. Pectorals broad, deeply notched below the middle of the hind border; rays of the lower portion extending beyond the membrane, a couple of the longer sometimes reaching almost as far back as the vent. A slight fold of the skin unites the fins in front of the disk. Olive to brown, light to dark, puncticulate and clouded, blotched, banded, ver- miculate, or longitudinally striped with darker and with lighter. In life the tints vary from lilac to reddish or yellowish, with spaces on certain individuals often nearly white, and every variety of coloration may be taken in a single locality. This being the case, it is thought best to treat the striping, freckling, banding, etc., merely as marks of individual vari- ation, and not as characters indicating established varieties. On the striped specimens the number of lines vary greatly, of the spotted ones no two are alike, and the same is true of every other pattern. Most often there are blotches on the posterior portions of the anal and the dorsal; frequently they take on the appearance of transverse bands, as is still more often the case on the caudal. (Garman.) North Atlantic, on both shores; north to Spitzbergen, south to Connecticut and France; most abundant in Northern Europe. Variable. ‘The specimens in the museum at Cambridge were secured from the Cheshire coast and other points in Great Britain, from Ostend, and from various localities off the coast of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine. A small specimen, with the 2118 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, locality ‘Off Block Island, from a pecten,’ that may be positively identi- fied, bears peculiar markings: From the tip of the snout a white line passes above the eye to meet its fellow of the opposite side at the begin- ning of the dorsal, which is white; and a white spot as large as the orbit extends downward and slightly backward from the eye. These marks are very distinct, and they give the specimen quite a different appear- ance from that of another of the same size and origin, uniform in colora- tion.” (Garman.) (Ku.) Liparis nostras, WILLUGHBY, Hist. Pise., App., 17, 1686, based on a specimen taken Sep- tember 15, 1685, by Dr. Johnson. Liparis,* Anrvent, Descr. Spec. Pisc., 117, 1738, after WILLUGHBY. Liparis cyclogaster, GRONOW, Mus., 157, 1768. Cyclopterus liparis, LINNzUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. x11, 1, 414, 1766, Northern Ocean; after ARTEDI and GRONOW. Cyclopterus lineatus, LEPECHIN, Noy. Comm. Petropol., Xvitl, 1774, 522, White Sea. Lipavis liparis, CUVIER, Régne Anim., Ed. 1, vol. 2, 227, 1817; GARMAN, Discoboli, 57, 1892. Gobius smyrnensis, BONNATERRE, Encycl., Icht., 66, 1788; after LEPECHIN. Oyclopterus musculus, LACEPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Iv, 683, 1802, near Havre. Liparis vulgaris, FLEMING, Brit. Anim., 190, 1828; GUNTHER, Cat., UI, 159; LUTKEN, Naturh. Foren. Vidensk. Meddels, 1860 and 1861, 243; COLLETT, Norges Fiske, 1875, 65; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 742, 1883. Liparis communis, SABINE, App. Parry's Voy., 1824. Liparis barbatus, EKSTROM, Vet. Ak. Handl., 168, pl. 5, 1832 (D.52, A.32, C.9, perhaps a different species). Liparis ophidoides, SWAINSON, Nat. Hist. Fishes, 1, 339, 1839. Liparis lineatus multistriatus, LUTKEN, Naturh. Foren. Vids., 1861, pl.7 (striped example). Liparis stellatus, MALM., Forh. Skand., Naturh., 1865. Liparis lineatus with variations, assimilis, stellatus, subfuscus, scorpioides mixtus, deco- rus, scriptus, lineatus, arcticus, and fuscus COLLETT; Vid. Selsk., Forh., Christ. 1, 41. 2450. LIPARIS CYCLOPUS, Giinther. Head 41; depth 44. D. 34; A. 29; pectoral 30; caudal 12. Body much depressed and rather broad anteriorly, deep and much compressed posteriorly; head 4 longer than broad and 4 broader than deep. Flesh much more firm and the skin less lax than in most species of Liparis. Opercles with a rather strong spine concealed by the skin; mouth rather large, terminal; jaws subequal; teeth small, tricuspid, in broad bands; eye small, 6 in head; snout 3, flattish and broad above; interorbital space 42 in head; ventral disk oval, 24 in head, its anterior edge + the length of the eye behind postorbital margin; gill opening moderate, 3} in head, extending downward to the third or fourth ray of pectoral. Dorsal fin low, continuous, not joined to caudal, beginning slightly before anal, on a vertical with vent; vent midway between edge of ventral disk and front of anal. Pectoral fin emarginate, the upper lobe 1? in head, the lower 2, the shortest intervening rays 3. Anal long and low, barely joined to cau- dal. Caudal 14 in head. Color olivaceous, darker above; body and pec- toral fin finely speckled with olive brown; fins dotted; bases of the fins paler than their tips; belly white. Bering sea to Puget Sound, not com- mon; our description from two specimens 4} inches long, in excellent * Garman gives detailed synonymy of this species in Discoboli, 57, 1892. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 2119 condition, taken in Elliot Bay, near Seattle, received from the Young Naturalists’ Society. They are numbered 3126 in the register of the Leland Stanford Jr. University Museum. This species, not having been previously recognized since its original description, is recorded by Dr. Gilbert from Unalaska, and 2 specimens from Bristol Bay, Alaska (Alba- tross Station 3230, depth 5} fathoms). Garman places L. cyclopus in the synonymy of L. callyodon, but our specimens are undoubtedly distinct from the species described by Garman under this name (Discoboli, p. 54, pl. 6, figs. 1-5), from a specimen said to originate from San Francisco. Our Alaska specimens are much more slender, with wide depressed head, without nuchal elevation, with the dorsal fin beginning posteriorly slightly in front of the vertical from the vent, and the disk separated from the vent by a distance less than its own diameter. The mouth is also much smaller, not at all oblique, its angle in advance of vertical from front ofeye. Not yet recorded from California. (#vxA 0s, rounded; zovs, foot.) Liparis eyclopus,* GUNTHER, Cat., 111, 162, 1861, Esquimault Harbor, Vancouver Island; JORDAN & STARKS, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 834, pl. 97. 2451. LIPARIS FUCENSIS, Gilbert. Head 34 to 34; depth 4 to 42. D.V,30; A.28 or 29; C.18 or 20; P.38 to 39. Body moderately elongate, compressed ; head depressed, with gibbous snout and occiput, separated by the depressed interorbital area, which forms a shallow transverse groove. Snout not blunt, the mouth terminal, nearly horizontal, with included mandible, the maxillary reaching to or nearly to the vertical from front of pupil, 3in head. Teeth all tricuspid. Eye of moderate size, contained 52 in length of head, 1 to 14 times in bony interorbital width, 13 times in snout. Posterior nostril without tube, the anterior with a short tube, less than diameter of pupil. Gill slit com- paratively wide, its width» equaling length of snout and 4 eye, over- lapped by a conspicuous triangular prolongation of the opercle. The slit extends down to opposite the upper third of the pectoral fin. Disk circu- lar, of rather small size, distant from tip of snout 14 times its own diame- ter, from vent 1} times. Diameter of disk 2} times in head. Distance from tip of snout to vent 1? to 1% in distance from tail. Pectorals extend- ing to a vertical midway between vent and front of anal. Lower rays produced, forming a narrow distinct lobe. First 5 dorsal rays spinous, unsegmented, shorter than the succeeding segmented rays, from which *The following is the original description of Liparis cyclopus: Dorsal 32; anal 30; caudal 12. Caudal fin entirely free from dorsal and anal; the latter commences in the vertical from the seventh dorsal ray; pectoral margin with a notch, some of the lower rays being produced; ventral disk ovate, its length being less than 4 of that of the head. A fine specimen. Esquimault Harbor. Presented by Lord John Russell. This species agrees in nearly every respect with Liparis vulgaris, from whic) it differs in the following points besides those mentioned: The greatest depth of the body is nearly } of the total, the length of the head nearly 1. The skin is tougher and more firmly adherent to the body. The head is flatabove, the napeof the neck being scarcely prominent. The nostril is a short tube, situated nearly midway between the eye and the upper lip. The pectoral extends only to the vertical from the anal papilla, and the dorsal (anal) fin com- mences yet more backward. The teeth are small, with3 lobes. Infraorbital extending to the preoperculum. The color is brownish olive, with darker spots, more conspicuous on the fins than on the body; belly reddish. The length of the specimen described is 45 lines. (Ginther.) oo 2120 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. they are not separated by notch. Dorsal and anal free from the caudal, the last rays being rapidly shortened, giving a rounded contour to the posterior portions of the 2 fins. Two styles of coloration are observed; 1 plain olive brown, with minute dark points, whitish below; the other, with numerous lengthwise streaks of light olive and dark olive brown, which extends forward on top and sides of head; in both cases the belly is whitish, and the fins dusky, mottled with darker, the mot- tlings forming indistinct cross bars on the caudal fin. Numerous speci- mens dredged by the Albatross in the Straits of Fuca (August, 1891), serve as the types of this species. It is probably the same as that described by Garman as Liparis calliodon, his description being based on specimens ‘‘said to have been taken near San Francisco.” It is not evi- dent from the text whether the same specimens served as basis for the figures (pl. 6, figs. 1 to 5), concerning which we have no independent data. This locality may be correct. The numerous types of Dr. Gilbert’s exam- ined by us are in a collection made by the Albatross, about Port Angeles in the Straits of Juan de Fuca. It has not been yet recorded from Alaska, Mr. Garman identifies this species with the callyodon of Pallas, but accord- ing to Pallas his species had the gill opening reduced to a lunate spiracle which is not the case in Liparis fucensis. (fucensis, from the Straits of Juan de Fuca.) Liparis calliodon, GARMAN, Discoboli, 54, 1892, locality unknown, thought to be San Francisco; not Cyclopterus callyodon of PALLAS. Liparis fucensis, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 447, Port Angeles, Straits of Juan de Fuca, at Albatross Station 3451, in 106 fathoms. (Type, No. 48600.) 2452. LIPARIS TUNICATUS, Reinhardt. D. 39; A. 33; P.30; V.7; C. 14. Body elongate, subterete; belly promi- nent. Head thick, obtuse, depressed behind, convex in front. Mouth narrow; the jaws equal; jaws, suborbital region, and gills with small, white points. Eyes small, lateral; nostrils 4, tubulate. Gill opening small, linear. Dorsal fin and anal united to caudal; caudal cuneate. Skin lax, slippery. Color dusky, the flesh reddish, showing through the skin. Length 1} fingers. (Fabricius.) Coast of Greenland. This descrip- tion differs from later ones in ascribing more rays to the caudal, and tubes to the nostrils. According to Mr. Garman, the description of Liparis fa- bricii, Kréyer, refers to the same species. The following is its substance: D. 13-4 27=40; A. 2+30=32; P.34; C.9; Vert. 46. Head 4 in length, higher than broad, the snout elevated, truncate, lower jaw shorter; ante- rior nostrils simple, the posterior with raised rim or with very short tube; eye 3in head; teeth tricuspid; ventral disk elliptical, 9 in length of body ; dorsal and anal connate with caudal, which is6 to 8in totallength. Ashy above, shaded with bluish or orange, spotted with blackish, pale below. Greenland (Kroyer, description of Liparis fabricii). Liparis arctica, Gill, is apparently the same as L. fabricit. The following is the substance of the description: Head 4 in total length; depth 23; dorsal 42; anal 34; caudal 11; pectoral 35. Forehead depressed, snout rather high and de- curved; the eyes are just within the anterior half of the head; the inter- Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2121 orbital is contained 3 times in the head; the anterior nostrils are simple, the posterior tubular; the dorsal and anal are connate with the caudal, the former united for about + of the length of the caudal, the latter 2; caudal convex behind and forms + of the length, the pectoral 54; ventral disk 10. Color uniform, rusty brown or chestnut, without spots or bands. Port Foulke, Greenland (Gill). We have seen no specimens, and follow authority in regarding Fabricius’s count of the caudal rays as probably an error. Garman uses the name tunicatus instead of minor, apparently regarding the original use of the latter name as simply that of the abjec- tive meaning smaller, not as part of the binominal nomenclature. (tuni- catus, bearing a cloak.) Oyclopterus liparis minor, FABRICIUS, Fauna Groenlandica, 135, 1780, Greenland; D.39; A. 33: P.30; V.2; C. 14; not binomial, minor being merely an adjective, meaning smaller. Liparis tunicata, REINHARDT, Overs. Kong. Danske Vidensk. Selsk., v1, CXI, 1836, Green- land; after FABRICIUS; GARMAN, Discoboli, 65, 1892. Liparis fabricii, KROYER, Naturh. Tidsskr., 11, 274, 1847, Greenland; D. XIII, 27; A.11, 30; P.34; C. 9; Vert. 46; GUNTHER, Cat., 11, 161, 1861; GiLL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1864, 192. Liparis arctica, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. 1864, 191, Port Foulke,Greenland; JORDAN & GIL- BERT, Synopsis, 742, 1883. 2453. LIPARIS AGASSIZII, Putman. Head 34; depth 4. D. 39; A. 31; pectoral 34; caudal 12; eye 6 in head; interorbital 24; snout 2$; ventral disk 18; pectoral 14; caudal 14. Body elongate, compressed posteriorly, about as wide as deep anteriorly ; head as deep as broad, } longer; mouth moderately large, the maxillary reaching slightly past front of eye; lower jaw included; teeth small, tri- cuspid, arranged in 8 or 9 oblique rows, which gfow more oblique toward the sides; snout broad and blunt, slightly overhanging the mouth; nos- trils ending in tubes, the anterior tube wider and longer than posterior; nape high and prominent, scarcely produced; gill opening short, its lower 4 or tin front of the pectoral, extending downward to. about the second or third ray, its length a little greater than width of eye. Ventral disk slightly longer than broad, its distance from end of lower jaw 13 its length, its posterior margin scarcely midway between its anterior and front of anal; vent nearer posterior margin of disk than front of anal; pectoral broadly rounded behind, the notch made by the produced lower rays shallow, end of fin reaching to the vertical from front of anal; origin of dorsal just over posterior edge of ventral disk, its distance from snout about 3 in body, slightly joined to the caudal posteriorly; origin of anal nearer to snout by a distance equal to length of snout posteriorly joined to the caudal, the tips of the last rays reaching nearly to the middle of caudal rays. Color olive brown, irregularly marked with dark brown spots the size of pupil; belly white; top of head darker than body; dorsal spotted like the body; spots on anal in the form of indistinct bands; pec- toral marked with interrupted irregular streaks; a wide dark band across middle of caudal rays, 2 or 3 other narrow streaks across caudal, Here described from a specimen collected by the Albatross at Station 3247, in Bristol Bay, Alaska, in 17 fathoms. Its length is nearly 3 inches. 3030-——56 2122 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, The following is Garman’s description of a specimen which was 10 inches in length: Head 44 in total length; depth over 4. D. 41 (41 to 44). A. 33 (32 to 35); pectoral 38 (35 to 38); caudal 12; vertebrw 46. Body elongate, rather less inflated anteriorly than the other Liparids, greatly compressed posteriorly. With the exception of the disk the appearance is very much the same as that of the Cottoids. Total length 2% times the distance from snout to vent. Head moderately broad, depressed anteriorly, slightly convex in transverse section through the frontal region; snout broad, blunt, rounded, convex, nearly 4 times the diameter of the eye, + of the length of the head. Mouth wide, maxilla extending behind a vertical from the anterior border of the eye; upper lip complete, lower separated for only about + the distance from the angle of the mouth to the middle. Teeth small, tricuspid, with slender, somewhat compressed bases, cusps compressed to sharp edges, outer cusp turned outward so as to give an inflated appearance at the top, arranged in about 72 rows, counting length- wise on each jaw, or 10 rows transversely, from outer to inner. Pharyn- geal teeth simple, in 2 bunches of 8 or 10 rows at the esophagus on the roof of the mouth, and below these on the floor in 2 smaller elongate groups. Nostrils small, tubes short or absent, posterior between the ante- rior halves of the eyes, anterior in front of these about 1 diameter of the orbit, and twice the same distance from each other. Eye small, less than tof head. Gills 3}. Gill opening a vertical slit, extending downward a short distance on 1 or 2 rays only of the base of the pectoral (not so wide as in L. pulchellus). Skin thin, loose. Backward from the vent the form is much compressed, the thickness being nearly + of the height, and both lateral and dorsal outlines taper regularly to the caudal. Dorsal, anal, and caudal fins confluent, anal extending farther on the caudal, i. e., more than + the length of the latter; dorsal commencing above the gill opening, at a distance from the snout that is contained in the total length without the caudal 3? times; anal beginning a trifle in advance of the mid length, excluding the caudal; pectoral broad, not reaching the anal, upper portion rounded, lower fringed, a shallow indentation between the two portions; caudal subtruncate, rounded, with rays more than 4 as long as the head; ventral disk small, + longer than broad, situated its length from the lips, occupying nearly 4 of the distance from the snout to the firstray of the anal, or about 4 of the total length. Color dark brown, irregularly marked with whitish or grayish; a series of 5 or 6 spots, each as large as the eye, along the middle of the flank; below these, near the lower edge, there are indications of 4 or 5 whitish blotches, resembling transverse bands; dorsal, anal, and caudal with irregular cloudings and blotches of darker and of lighter; base of pectoral with a couple of large blotches of light grayish, balance of the fin freckled with light color; head dark, somewhat reddened. Entire length 10 inches. (Garman.) North Pacific; common south to Unalaska; the original types above de- scribed were collected by Messrs. Pierce and Smith at Saghalien, Channel of Tartary; our specimens collected by the Albatross in Bristol Bay. Dr. Bean’s types of Liparis gibbus came from Plover Bay, Siberia; others are Jordan and Evermann,—Fishes of North America, 2123 recorded from Unalaska, St. Paul Island, off Indian Point, Cape Chaplin, Eastern Siberia, Petropaulski, and Bering Strait. The following is the substance of the account of Liparis gibbus which Garman identifies, apparently correctly, with Liparis agassizii: Head 34; depth 34. D.42; A.36; P.85; C.12. Body abruptly contracted near the vent, covered with lax skin; interorbital space shallow-concave, the vertex and nape somewhat elevated; snout depressed; head as wide as long, longer than deep; nostrils tubular, the tubes of anterior nostrils longest; eye small, 4 in head; ventral disk nearly circular, 8 in length; vertical fins confluent; dorsal continuous; longest dorsal ray } as long as head; pectorals reaching front of anal; caudal 6 in body. Head and body very pale brown or gray, paler below; head and anterior parts some- times with concentric brown rings, much as in Liparis pulchellus; sides plain or marked with brown stripes and rings; tail sometimes with dark blotches; vertical fins usually with dark bands. Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Siberia. (Named for Prof. Louis Agassiz). Cyclopterus liparis, BLocuH, Ausliind. Fische, 1, 48, 1785, in part, Pacific specimens. Liparis agassizii, PUTNAM, Proce, Amer. Assoc. Adv. Sci. 1874, 339, Saghalien, Channel of Tartary (Coll. Pierce and Smith) ; GARMAN, Discoboli, 62, pls. 1-3, 1892. Liparis gibbus, BEAN, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 148, Unalaska, St. Paul Island, Indian Point, Cape Chaplin, and Plover Bay, Siberia; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 741, 1883. 2454. LIPARIS HERSCHELINUS, Scofield. Head 34 in body; depth 33. D. 42; A. 33; pectoral 35; caudal 10; eye 43 in head, and 1} in snout; interorbital space 3 in head; maxillary 2 in head. Body tadpole-like; head rounded and very little compressed; abdomen slightly distended; just back of the abdomen the body is sud- denly compressed to a width equaling 4 its height, and from this point the body gradually tapers to the caudal, its height and width keeping the Same proportions; the height of the base of the caudal equals the diame- ter of the eye; the maxillary extends to posterior edge of eye, and its end is concealed in the base of the skin of the head; upper jaw slightly longer than lower; teeth tricuspid; interorbital space flat; nape slightly ele- vated; gill openings small; the width of the slit equaling the interorbital space; the lower edge of the slit even with the first pectoral ray; the posterior nostrils end in very short, compressed tubules about 4 diameter of eye in front of eye; the anterior nostrils are simple and placed directly in front of the posterior nostrils a distance equal to 4 diameter of eye. The dorsal begins on a vertical line drawn from posterior edge of gill flap; the anterior rays are short, gradually lengthening till middle of fin is reached, where the rays equal 2} times the diameter of the eye, the last rays scarcely shortened and not forming a notch at its junction with the caudal; last rays encroaching on the caudal for } of its length; anal same shape as dorsal and of same height, its last rays encroaching on caudal for tits length; upper lobe of pectoral composed of 25 rays, the eleventh and longest ray 1} in head; length of twenty-fifth ray 4 in head, lower lobe with 10 rays, of which the third from the last, or twenty-third, is the long- 2124 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. est, being contained in the head 2;!; times; membrane between each 2 of the last 4 rays incised; caudal slender, rounded behind, its length a little more than twicein head. Diameter of ventral disk 8 in body. Skin very loose, attached only at opening and to ends of last rays of dorsal and anal and to base of caudal. Color dark, covered with fine punctulation; belly and underside of head free from markings; last half of dorsal darker than anterior half; anal mottled with black; caudal with 2 black vertical bands, the first bony and just back of tips of last dorsal and anal rays; the second band slender and faint and at top of fin. Arctic Ocean; several specimens were taken at Herschel Island. The longest specimen is 24 incheslong. Thisspeciesis nearest L. tunicatus from the coast of Greenland, and appears to be intermediate between it and L. agassizii. Liparis herschelinus, SCOFIELD, Fishes of Herschel Island, in Jordan & Gilbert, Rept. Fur Seal Invest., 1898, Herschel Island, Arctic Ocean. (Type, No. 5601, L. S. Jr. Univ. Mus. Coll. N. B. Scofield.) 2455. LIPARIS DENNYI, Jordan & Starks. Head 3? in length of body; depth4+. D.39; A.30; pectoral 36; caudal 12; eye 8 in head; maxillary 24; snout 23; gill opening 22; upper pec- toral lobe 4; lower lobe 14; intervening rays 24; ventral disk 24; highest dorsal rays 23; highest anal rays 25; caudal rays 13. Body moderately elongate, much compressed posteriorly, slightly so anteriorly; head mod- erate, the cheeks and nape prominent. Mouth wide, with little lateral cleft; maxillary extending to below the anterior margin of eye, its end covered with the skin of the head; the lower jaw slightly the longer; the teeth tricuspid, those on the inner part of jaw largest, arranged in about 14 series in each jaw; series nearly transverse on middle of jaw, becoming more and more oblique toward the sides, where they are nearly parallel with the sides of the jaws; interorbital wide, slightly concave; nostrils ending in very short, wide tubes, the posterior over the anterior margin of eye, the anterior in front of it a distance equal to the diameter of eye; opercle ending in a short, wide spine covered with skin; it is situated slightly above the middle of gill opening; gill opening running from about the eleventh pectoral ray to a level with the eye. Origin of dorsal slightly behind base of pectoral, its distance from the snout 35 in length of body, its anterior rays short, gradually lengthening posteriorly, the rays from the anterior third to near the end about equal, the last ray abruptly shortened, forming a slight notch where the fin joins the caudal; posterior 3 of caudal free above; anal similar to dorsal, about the same height, its origin nearer snout than base of caudal, about under the base of the tenth dorsal ray, posteriorly it is longer than the dorsal, joining the caudal at about } its length; ventral disk nearly round, its distance from tip of lower jaw 1} in its diameter, 1 in distance from vent, 2 from first anal ray; vent midway between front of anal and edge of disk; upper lobe of pectoral broadly rounded, reaching to % of the distance between vent and front of anal; lower lobe long, reaching nearly to vent; caudal long and slender, rounded behind. Skin very thin and loose on body and head, covering the anterior parts of dorsal and anal, attached at about the Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2125 middle of rays posteriorly, and covering the base of caudal rays. Color light brown, lighter below, thickly covered with minute brown points, which form spots and mottlings on sides; upper part of head dark, lips spotted with brown; dorsal and anal dark brown, slightly mottled with lighter; pectoral light, with irregular brown spots and bars running across it; caudal dark brown, mottled at base, 2 light bars crossing it toward its end, leaving a narrow posterior margin of brown. North Pacific, south to Puget Sound; numerous specimens in the Albatross collections frem about Unalaska. (Named for Mr. Charles L. Denny, of Seattle, in recognition of his active and intelligent interest in the natural history of Washington.) Liparis dennyi, JORDAN & STARKS, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 835, pl. 98, Admiralty Inlet, Puget Sound. (Type, No. 3703, L.S.Jr. Univ. Mus. Coll. Young Naturalists’ Society of Seattle.) 2456. LIPARIS CYCLOSTIGMA, Gilbert. Head 32; depth 44. D. 44; A. 34; P. 42; C. 14. A robust, compressed species, ~vith broad, gently convex head, the nape rather elevated, comparatively wide gill opening, a single continuous dorsal fin, the dorsal and anal broadly joined to the caudal, and the coloration peculiar. Pro- file gently and evenly declining from nape to end of premaxillary pro- cesses, thence descending more steeply to tip of snout. Interorbital space very wide, equaling length of snout and 4 of eye, 2? in head. Distance from tip of snout to front of exposed portion of eye, 2;5 in head. Mouth terminal, broad and transverse, with but little lateral cleft, the 2 jaws equal, the lower not included. The maxillary is entirely bound down by skin of head, reaching vertical from front of pupil, the angle of mouth in advance of eye. Bands of teeth extremely broad, the teeth very small, all tricuspid, the outer ones minute, those toward inner margin of jaw increasing in size. The anterior series in each jaw are nearly transverse, the lateral series becoming successively more and more oblique, the uppermost nearly parallel with the jaw; about 20 series in each side of lower jaw, 30 on each side of upper jaw. The width of band in upper jaw equals } diameter of exposed portion of eye, which is {+ length of snout, 2 interorbital width. Nostrils without tube. Lower lip distinct on lateral ? or of mandible. Gill opening wide, extending downward to opposite base of fifteenth pectoral ray, the length of the slit 2} in head. Upper jaw with a series of large pores; lower jaw short, with few pores. Disk large, oblong, its longitudinal diameter 24 in head, equaling its dis- tance from anus and twice distance of latter from base of first anal ray. Pyloric ceca 28. Pectoral very broad, inserted low, its upper margin on a level with premaxillaries, much below the eye; the rays decrease but little in length from the first to the twentieth, and form a very broad, evenly rounded lobe. Below the twentieth the rays decrease gently and have exerted tips, until the shortest ray equals } the long upper rays. There follow 3 or 4 somewhat longer rays, the tips still further exserted, then 4 or 5 rays which decrease rapidly, the shortest anterior one equaling diam- eter of eye; longest pectoral ray 14+ in head; base of first dorsal ray in a vertical passing through axil of pectoral; longest dorsal ray 1} in 2126 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, head, the last rays rapidly shortened so as to produce a notch at union with the caudal, the last ray less than } the longest, the membrane join- ing at end of basal third of caudal; the anal fin is equal in height to the dorsal, but the last rays are but little shortened, so that no notch exists posteriorly. It forms a much broader union with the caudal, which it joins at the end of its basal two-thirds; caudal broad, rounded, the outer rays 4 the length of middle rays, which equal the length of head without the snout. Body everywhere transparent, gelatinous in steucture. Colors in life, olivaceous above, overlaid with light grayish; belly and lower side of head light yellow; body and fins with large brownish-red or blood- red spots and blotches, usually roundish, each having a darker margin surrounded with a light ring. Length 360mm. Bering Sea; type from Bristol Bay, in 29} fathoms; a second specimen from St. Paul Island, and a third still larger from Petropaulski; a most beautifully colored species, quite unlike the others. (Gilbert.) (xUxA0s, round; orzyja, spot.) Liparis cyclostigma, GILBERT, Rept. U. S. Fish Comm, 1893 (1896), 446, Bristol Bay, Alaska, at Albatross Station 3252, in 29} fathoms. (Type No. 48621.) Subgenus LYOLIPARIS, Jordan & Evermann. 2457. LIPARIS PULCHELLUS, Ayres. Head 44 in length; depth 44. D. 47 to 49; A. 40; pectoral 36; caudal 12; eyes 6 in head; interorbital space (flesh, not bone) 2; snout 3; pec- toral 14; ventral disk 22; caudal 13. Body elongate, somewhat com- pressed, tapering gradually to the caudal. The head is broader and longer than high; snout subtruncate, overhanging the mouth; teeth small, tri- cuspid, the median cusp longest, arranged in oblique rows as in the related species; upper lip complete, the lower interrupted on each side about mid- way between middle of jaw and angle of mouth; interorbital space wide and flat, posterior nostril ending in a short, wide tube, anterior smaller, closer together, about midway between the posterior and end of snout; gill opening moderate, wider than eye, its lower third in front of pectoral, extending downward to the third or fourth ray; skin thin and loose, as in the other Liparids; vent nearer to anal than ventral disk. Dorsal and anal confluent with the caudal, which seems to end in a point when not spread; origin of dorsal just behind base of pectoral, its distance from snout contained 4 times in the length of body, the anterior rays buried under the skin; origin of anal nearer snout than base of caudal fin; pec- torals broadly rounded posteriorily, reaching to front of anal, the lower rays smaller and produced, forming a notch in lower part of fin. Color light olive brown, with numerous waving lines everywhere on head and body, running longitudinally, sometimes running together and forming irregular markings; belly and lower parts of head white; dorsal and anal dusky, with longitudinal stripes and mottlings; caudal dark at tip; pee- torals with irregular cross streaks. Others are light brownish with spots of darker, not showing any trace of the longitudinal stripes; the head variously marked with irregular vermiculations. Here described from specimens from Point Reyes, California. The one from which the meas- Jordan and E-vermann.—Fishes of North America, 2127 urements are taken is a little over 4 inches in length. Specimens vary greatly in depth of body. Length 10 inches. Northern Pacific, Alaska to Monterey.* Common; specimens are recorded from Puget Sound and from Tongass, St. Paul, Kadiak, Unalaska, and other localities in Alaska. The specimen from the northernmost locality examined by us is from Bristol Bay in 16 fathoms (Coll. Albatross). The species is not rare about San Francisco and Monterey, where the striped form is almost exclusively found. (pulchellus, pretty.) Tiparis pulchellus, AYRES, Proc. Cal. Ac. Nat. Sci., 1, 1855, 23, San Francisco; GUNTHER, Cat., 111, 164, 1861; STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitriige, m1, 53, 1875; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 741, 1883; GARMAN, Discoboli, 67, pls. 4,5, and 8, 1892. Cyclogaster pulchellus, GIRARD, Pac. R. R, Rept., X, Fishes, 132, 1858. Subgenus ACTINOCHIR, Gill. 2458. LIPARIS MAJOR (Gill). Head 4 in length. D. 45 to 48; A. 38 to 40; P. 34 to 37; caudal 12 to 14; vertebrie 52 (10+42); ceca 26; branchiostegals 6. Body elongate, much compressed and tapering posteriorly, rather thin behind the abdomen, slender at the base of the caudal, broad and high between the pectorals. ’ Head high and broad, prominent at nape, length a little more than depth, forehead depressed; snout broad, blunt, rounded, rather deep, as long as eye; mouth anterior, broad, maxillary subtending the eye, jaws about equal; a broad interruption in lower lip in middle of chin; teeth small, in pavement, tricuspid in younger specimens, simple in old. Some of those from which this description is drawn show the 3 pronged teeth in the outer rows, and an approach to the simple in the inner. A series of 5 or 6 pores on each side, just above upper lip, from snout to postor- bital region; another of 6 or 7 pores from chin toward upper angle of gill opening; posterior nostril reduced, pore-like, on interorbital space; ante- rior in front of eye, tubular; between and a little in front of the tubes a couple of large pores. Eye moderately large, in anterior half of head, lateral, about equal to snout, once in interorbital space, 14 times in disk, and 3£in head; disk small, little longer than wide, 1} times as long as eye, distant from mouth 14 times the length, which is equal to 4 distance to anal fin; vent about midway from disk to first ray of anal; gill open- ing little wider than eye, } of its extent in front of base of pectoral; 1 single and 3 double gills; pseudobranchiw small; opercular spine rather broad; skin thin, loose, easily carried away, that of the males in breeding season roughened with small, spine-bearing papill#; dorsal and anal con- tinuous with the caudal, the union occupying nearly } length of last, anal extending a little farther back than dorsal. Caudal rays less than 4} as long as head, hinder margin of the fin slightly rounded, narrow; pec- torals broad and rounded in the upper portion, reaching anal fin; in the lower portion fringed; several of the rays at sides of disk, much longer than those immediately above them, form a notch in the margin, a fold uniting the fins in front of disk; no apparent notch in dorsal; like the * Our Monterey specimens have D.48; A.39; P.36; C.i2, Head 5; depth 5. 2128 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. anal, it rises gradually, and attains its greatest extent in the posterior third of its length. Professor Liitken gives the following as the formula: Dorsal 43 to 49; anal 36 to 40; pectoral 32 to 38; caudal 9 to 11. The specimens described here, and from which the numbers placed at the head of this description were taken, were furnished this Museum by him. From his large series he finds a greater range of variation in all cases except that of the caudal, where 12 to 14 rays appear on these examples. Color olivaceous to dark brown, darkest about the head and body. On close examination the skin is seen to be thickly puncticulate with brown, in cases forming cloudings, blotches, or transverse bands on the fins and hinder parts of the body. In life there is no doubt of the presence of tints of lilac, reddish, or yellowish. One of these specimens has 6 bands of brownish on the dorsal, and 4 on the anal. Our largest is 5 inches in length. (Garman.) Coasts of Greenland, east to the White Sea; not seen by us; the description from a specimen in the Museum Comp. Zool., sent by Dr. Liitken. (Eu.) (Major, larger.) Cyclopterus liparis major, FABRicius, Fauna Grénland., 136, 1780, Greenland; ‘W ALBAUM, Artedi Piscium, 11, 489, 1792; after FaBRicius; nota binomial name, major being sim- ply an adjective. Liparis tunicata, KROYER, Naturh. Tidsskr., I, 236, 1862; not of REINHARDT. Actinochir major, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1864, 198, Greenland. _ Liparis fabricit, LUTKEN, Kara-Haves, Fiske, 146, 1887. Liparis major, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 741, 1883; GARMAN, Discoboli, 72, 1892. 786. BATHYPHASMA, Gilbert. Bathyphasma, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 447 (ovigerum). Teeth long, slender, simple, without basal cusps. Disk large, its sur- face even, with evident lobes or horny papille under posterior part of the head; the anus not immediately behind it. Gill opening comparatively wide. Caudal long, well developed, not acuminate, containing 12 rays, the dorsal and anal confluent with its basal ?; pectoral broad and con- tinuous, as in Liparis, the lower rays exserted. Suborbital process strong. Vertebre numerous. The typical species has much the shape and general appearance of Liparis agassizii. The character of the simple teeth, which this genus shares with Paraliparis and others, has been independently acquired. (Gilbert.) Skeleton soft, little ossified. Deep-sea Liparids of large size, the dentition unlike that of the other genera, and apparently not acquired by the same line of descent as the simple teeth of Parali- paris, which seems to be a degradation of the form seen in Liparis. (Babvs, deep sea; ana, apparition. ) 2459. BATHYPHASMA OVIGERUM, Gilbert. Head 33; depth 3%; eye 7. Occipital region greatly elevated, the upper profile of head strongly decurved above the orbits, a line from occiput to end of premaxillary processes forming an angle of 45 degrees with axis of body. In front of tips of premaxillary processes the snout descends almost vertically. Posteriorly the body tapers uniformly and slowly, the width of base of tail equaling $ diameter of eye. Mouth large, horizontal, Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2129 not overpassed by the snout, the lower jaw slightly shorter than the upper, not distinctly included; maxillary reaching a vertical from posterior edge of orbit, its length 2} in head, its width 12 in head; upper lip complete, the fold of lower lip extending halfway from angle of mouth to symphysis. Bands of teeth very wide in the front of each jaw, becoming narrow laterally, where the series are few in number and nearly parallel with the jaw; anteriorly the series grow more and more oblique, until at front of jaw they are nearly transverse; teeth all simple and slender, without cusps, directed very obliquely backward, and movable, implanted so as to admit of still further depression; outer teeth in both jaws very short, the inner ones growing gradually longer and becoming acicular, 16 series of teeth on each side of lower jaw, 22 series on each side of upper jaw. Posterior nostril in a short wide tube. Eye large, the diame- ter of its exposed portion 24 in total interorbital width. Cheek and temporal region swollen, the suborbital stay running in a notable depres- sion between the two. Gill slit wide, extending downward to opposite upper pectoral rays, longer than snout, 2}in head. Mucous pores minute, on sides of snout, mandible, and preopercle, none visible on top of head. Disk large, nearly round, its center slightly in advance of gill slit, its length 3$ in head, distance from its posterior margin to vent equaling # its own diameter. A small anal papilla. Pyloric ceca 19. Pectoral with 34 rays, not notched, the lower rays regularly diminishing in length toethe fifth or sixth before the last, the next 2 or 3 abruptly lengthened and exserted; longest ray of upper lobe equaling snout and eye; longest ray of lower lobe equaling snout and 4 eye; dorsal fin beginning slightly behind upper axil of pectorals and with 43 rays, the longest equaling dis- tance from tip of snout to front of pupil; origin of anal fin with 4 diame- ter of eye in front of middle of body, with 34 rays; caudal ray long and slender, with 12 rays, its basal ? confluent with dorsal and anal, its length equal to that of pectoral fin. Skin thin, not conspicuously lax. Head, body, and fins white, inconspicuously mottled with hght brown. A single speci- men, 315 mm. in total length, from Station 3342, off Queen Charlotte Island, British Columbia, depth 1,588 fathoms. The type is a male, with well- developed testes, and contained in its mouth, when captured, a spherical mass of eggs apparently of the same species. The eggs measured 443 mm. in diameter, and were well along in their development, the embryos dis- tinctly visible through the very tough egg membranes. The general form of head and body can be made out, as well as the long continuous dorsal and anal fins running backward into the tail. It seems not improbable that the male fish protect the eggs in this manner until after hatching. (D.43; A.34; P.34; C.12.) (Gilbert.) (ovum, egg; gero, I bear.) Bathyphasma ovigerum, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 448, off Queen Char- lotte Island, at Albatross Station 3342, in 1,588 fathoms, (Type, No. 48622.) 787. CAREPROCTUS, Kriyer. Careproctus, KROYER, Naturh. Tidsskr., 1, 257, 1862 (reinhardt). Caremitra, JORDAN & EVERMANN, Check-List Fishes, 452, 1896 (sims). Allochir, JORDAN & EVERMANN, Check-List Fishes, 452, 1896 (melanurus). Allurus, JORDAN & EVERMANN, Check-List Fishes, 452, 1896 (ectenes). 2130 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, Body more or less elongate, semitransparent, covered with thin, lax skin; mouth terminal; teeth simple in the adult, hooked; ventral disk very small, situated far forward, under front of eye, sometimes reduced to a mere point; vent a little behind it, far in front of anal fin; pectoral fin broad, notched, the lower lobe well developed. Vertebre and fin rays numerous; nostrils with or without tube. Species of rather large size, found in deep or cold waters. These form a transition from Actinochir to the Amitrinw, in which group the ventral disk is wholly lost. Concerning Careproctus, Mr. Garman has the following remarks: “This genus and Liparis are brought very close together by Careproctus liparis major. The simple form of tooth in the one case and the tricuspid form in the other were formerly considered sufficiently distinctive for sep- arating these genera. Liitken, 1887, pointed out that the young of the mentioned species has the tricuspid teeth of Liparis, and that with age it acquires the simple teeth of Careproctus. It is possible that a similar change takes place in the other species we have brought together in the latter. Indeed, assuming derivation from species of Liparis of the shoal waters, it is just what we should expect in all these Careprocti of the deep sea. ‘Besides the dentition, other features may be selected that in compari- sons may serve to distinguish this genus from the preceding: The head is higher at the back; the body is deeper in front of the dorsal fin; the caudal region is longer, more slender and tapering; the vertebr are more numerous; the dorsal and anal fins have more rays, and are completely fused with the caudal; the disk is reduced in size; the suborbital process is less developed, and apparently the intestine is shorter. Among these differences there is none that may not be a consequence of the modifying influences of great depths upon species of Liparis such as now exist along the coasts.” (xapa, head; zpwxrds, anus.) CAREMITRA (capa, head; pitpa, stomacher) : a. Body short and deep, with blunt head, the inferior mouth below the prominent snout; disk nearly as long as eye; pectoral rays 33. SIMUS, 2460. aa. Body more or less elongate. b. Body not excessively attenuate, its median depth much more than length of eye. CAREPROCTUS: c. Pectoral fin distinctly notched, its middle rays.shorter than upper or lower. d. Lower pectoral rays extremely long, reaching front of anal; disk moderate, about as large as eye. COLLETTI, 2461. dd. Lower pectoral rays not reaching anal. e. Mouth horizontal or moderately oblique, not nearly vertical. f. Disk nearly or quite as long as eye, not excessively reduced. g. Disk about 4 longer than eye; anterior nostril with a tube; gill slit reduced; mouth oblique; D.53; P. 34. PHASMA, 2462. gg. Disk not larger than eye, which is about 4 in head; anterior nostril (so far as known) without tube. h. Depth 4 in length; mouth large; D.52; A. 47. SPECTRUM, 2463. hh. Depth 53 to 6. i. Pectoral rays 32; D.54; A. 45. REINHARDI, 2464. wi. Pectoral rays 38; D. about 48; A. about 48. RANULA. 2465. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 2131 ff. Disk very minute. OSTENTUM, 2466. ee. Mouth nearly vertical; body elongate. D.50; A. 45; C.6; P.30. GELATINOSUS, 2467. ALLOCHIR (a@AAos, other; xe¢p, hand) : ce. Pectoral fins not notched, the middle rays not shorter than upper or lower; gillopenings reduced; depth 44inlength. D.58; A.50; P.30. MELANURUS, 2468. ALLURUS (aAAos, other; ovpa, tail) : bb. Body excessively elongate, its depth at the middle not more than diameter of eye; disk smaller than eye; gill openings reduced; snout shovel-shaped. DE51. ECTENES, 2469. Subgenus CAREMITRA, Jordan & Evermann. 2460. CAREPROCTUS SIMUS, Gilbert. A species with a very heavy head and body, an inferior transverse mouth, overlapped by the thick, rounded snout. Appearance much that of Rhinoliparis barbulifer, but the anterior parts much heavier, nape more elevated, snout shorter and blunter, without barbels, extending beyond front of eyes for a distance (measured axially) equal to } diameter of orbit, and projecting beyond mouth for 4 that distance. Mouth transverse, its width nearly twice the distance from symphysis of lower jaw to angle of mouth, the latter reaching a vertical midway between front of eye and pupil. Teeth indistinctly tricuspid, in narrow bands, 11 or 12 series in each half of lower jaw, 8 or 9 in the upper. Nostrils without tube. Eye large, 3 in head, equaling snout, 13 in total interorbital width. Gill slit moderate, 2 of it opposite upper pectoral rays, its width } diameter of eye. Opercle prolonged into an acute lobe overlapping middle of slit. Disk rather small, round, under posterior part of eye, its diameter 7 that of eye. Vent immediately behind it, equidistant from front of anal and angle of mouth. Pectorals inserted high, the upper edge on a level with the mid- dle of eye, continuous, the median rays greatly shortened, the lower ones again longer, with exserted free tips; upper lobe extending beyond front of anal, and equaling length of head behind snout, lower rays } length of upper ones; P.33; origin of dorsal fin just behind axil of pectorals, con- tinuous posteriorly with the caudal fin, which is very narrow and not dis- tinct; origin of anal. at end of first third of length. Whitish or bright brown, dusky posteriorly on body and fins; mouth, gill cavity, and peri- toneum white. One specimen, 3} inches long, from Bering Sea north of Unalaska Island. (Gilbert.) (simus, 61/10s, snubnosed. ) Careproctus simus, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 444, Bering Sea north of Unalaska, at Albatross Station 3331, in 350 fathoms. Subgenus CAREPROCTUS, Kroyer. 2461. CAREPROCTUS COLLETTI, Gilbert. Head 5, blunt and heavy, with subvertical cheeks and bluntly rounded snout, the latter not projecting beyond the mouth; greatest depth (at occiput) 6; eye equals length of snout, 3} in head, 12 ininterorbital width ; nape not elevated; mouth terminal at lower side of snout, slightly oblique, 2132 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. its lateral cleft about } its width; lower jaw shutting within the upper; angle of mouth reaching a vertical midway between front of eye and front of pupil; teeth lanceolate, acute, without trace of basal cusps; gill opening a narrow slit, entirely above base of pectorals, its length # diame- ter of eye; opercle produced posteriorly into a rounded lobe, which over- laps the gill opening; disk oblong, of moderate size, placed under the posterior part of head behind the eyes, forming, in alcoholic specimens, a very deep cup-shaped depression with incurved edges; diameter of disk about equaling that of eye; disk separated from vent by } its diameter; upper pectoral lobe reaching origin of anal fin, the rays of lower lobe elongate, extensively free, longer than upper lobe, and reaching to or nearly to front of anal; intermediate rays not as short as in C. reinhardi, hardly forming a separate division of the fin, the rays being gradually and uniformly shortened from above downward to origin of lower lobe; pectoral rays 29; dorsal beginning immediately behind the head; distance from tip of snout to origin of anal 3} in length; series of conspicuous mucous pores on head, asin C. reinhardi. Color in spirits, dusky, the tip of snout, under side of head, opercles, abdomen, and pos- terior portion of vertical fins black; inside of mouth and gill cavity dusky; peritoneum black. Closely related to C. reinhardi, from which it (differs principally in the elongation and exsertion of the lower pectoral rays. These extend in all specimens to or nearly to the origin of the anal fin, and are always free for the greater part of their length. Length 3} inches. North Pacific, south of the Alaskan Peninsula. (‘‘Named in honor of Prof. Robert Collett, the distinguished author of the Fishes of the Norwegian North Atlantic Expedition.’’) Careproctus colletti, GILBERT, Rept. U. 8. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 442, south of the Alaska Peninsula, at Albatross Station 3338, in 625 fathoms. (Type, No. 48698.) 2462. CAREPROCTUS PHASMA, Gilbert. Eye 4 in head, 2 in total interorbital width. D.53; P.34. Head broad and flat above, subquadrate, with nearly vertical cheeks. Snout very obtuse, broadly rounded, much blunter than in C. spectrum, very slightly overlapping the mouth; width of snout 1% in length of head; mouth very broad, somewhat oblique, reaching vertical slightly behind front of eye, its width more than twice the amount of lateral cleft taken axially. Teeth minute, acute, in a moderate band in each jaw, arranged in oblique series within the band. Nostrils opening in a short but conspicuous tube (the tube absent and the pore smaller in C. spectrum). Mucous pores small. Gill slit short, slightly less than diameter of orbit, its inferior end attached to base of upper pectoral ray, overlapped for almost its entire extent by the broadly rounded opercular flap. Sucking disk comparatively large, much Jarger than in C. spectrum, 14 times diameter of eye, 34 in head, very nearly round, the transverse diameter equaling or slightly exceeding the longitudinal diameter. Vent immediately behind edge of sucking disk; anal papilla slender, + as long as diameter of eye. Pectoral fin very broad, barely reaching front of anal, the lower rays equaling the upper, Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2133 extensively free at tip; lower lobe of pectoral containing 8 or 9 rays; dorsal beginning behind gill opening at a distance equaling diameter of eye. Skin exceedingly soft, thick, and lax, in alcoholic specimens forming folds on head and body and concealing the rays of the fins. Color uniform white in spirits. Closely related- to Careproctus spectrum, Bean, from the same region, differing in the much larger sucking disk and the narrower gill slit, the latter confined to area above base of pectorals, its anterior mar- gin formed of the broadly and evenly rounded opercular lobe. Length 3+ inches. Bristol Bay, Alaska, in deep water. (¢@6ma@, a spectre.) Careproctus phasma, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 443, Bristol Bay, Alaska, at Albatross Stations 3254 and 3256, in 46 and 4g fathoms. 2463. CAREPROCTUS SPECTRUM, Bean. Head 4; depth 4; eye 3. D. 52; A. 47; ventral disk small, ? as long as eye. Mouth large, the maxilla extending to about below the mid- dle of eye. Pectoral reaching to above anal origin; dorsal beginning over the axil of pectoral. Color along back of some examples light brown, elsewhere uniformly pale. Length of type 3,4; inches. Twenty- six specimens were obtained, July 31, 1888, between Unga and Nagai islands. (Bean.) Garman refers this species to the synonymy of Care- proctus gelatinosus, which is probably not correct. (spectrum, spectre.) Careproctus spectrum, BEAN, Proc. U. 8S. Nat. Mus. 1890, 40, between Unga and Nagai islands, 55° 10’ N., 160° 18’ W., at Albatross Station 2848, in 110 fathoms, 2464. CAREPROCTUS REINHARDI (Kroyer). Head 44; depth 54; eye5to6. D.54; A. 45; C.12; P. 32. Body semi- transparent, covered with viscid skin. Head short and globular. Caudal fin very slender, joined to the dorsal and anal; mouth nearly horizontal; lower jaw scarcely projecting. Ventral disk little larger than eye. Pec- toral deeply emarginate, nearly as long as head, reaching anal, the lower rays exserted, appearing as a series of short twisted filaments. Distance from ventral disk to vent not more than diameter of eye; head with con- spicuous mucous pores. Color pale reddish gray, unmarked. (Collett.) Mr. Garman adds to this: Body translucent, jelly-like; skin lax, viscid; teeth simple; ventral disk very small, situated far forward, almost hidden by the anterior portions of the pectorals; vent near the disk, about mid- way from snout to anal; tail long, slender, tapering to a point; caudal continuous with dorsal and anal; fin rays soft, slender; pectorals semicir- cular, below the head, beginning far in front and close together near the symphysis of the lower jaw, first 8 or 10 rays projecting, larger median portion with short ones, upper elongate; eyes comparatively large, more than + as long as the head, which latter is + to } of the total length. Only 1 pair of nostrils was detected, and they were not prolonged in tubes. Color pale reddish gray, or whitish; no bands ormarks. An Arctic, deep-- sea form, descending to 700 fathoms. Known from Greenland, Jan Mayen, and Beeren Island. (Named for Professor J. Reinhardt, of the University of Copenhagen, who wrote largely on the fauna of Greenland.) 2134 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. Liparis gelatinosus, REINHARDT, Oversigt, etc., 1844, 77; not of PALLAS. Liparis (Careproctus) reinhardi, Kréyer, Naturh. Tidskr., 1, 252, 1862, Greenland. Careproctus reinhardi, CoLLETT, Norske Nord-Havs Exped., 57, 1880; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 957, 1883; GARMAN, Discoboli, 78, 1892. 2465. CAREPROCTUS RANULA (Goode & Bean). Head4; depth6. D.48-{; A.48-; pectoral 15 +12 or 13. Body thick, subeylindrical anteriorly, rapidly tapering to the tail; skin thick, lax. Head swollen at the nape; width little greater than depth, twice that of disk; length of disk 24 interorbital width. Snout broad, about + as long as head; mouth cleft not reaching a vertical from orbit; upper jaw the longer; eye lateral, not interfering with upper profile, about 4 of head; nostril near the eye; from snout to first dorsal ray +, and from snout to first anal ray about ? of length of body; origin of anal below eighth ray of dorsal; disk slightly longer than its distance from the snout, or than its width. Color uniform, whitish. Off Halifax Harbor, in 52 fathoms. (Goode and Bean.) Garman refers this species to the synonymy of Care- proctus reinhardi, which may be correct. (ranula, tadpole, diminutive of rana, frog.) Liparis ranula, GOODE & BEAN, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1879, 46, Hallfax; JORDAN & GIL- BERT, Synopsis, 742, 1883. 2466. CAREPROCTUS OSTENTUM, Gilbert. The snout is longer and more pointed than in Careproctus phasma or Care- proctus spectrum, its width little greater than its length, 2}in head. Mouth with very distinct lateral cleft, its width less than its length. Maxillary reaching a vertical line crossing orbit behind pupil, 1,9; in head; teeth minute, in narrow bands, indistinctly tricuspid; eye equaling length of snout, 14 in total width of interorbital area. The true bony interorbital width is much narrower than this. In the specimen examined the epi- dermis of the head is largely lost, and the width of the gill slip can not be determined. A short nostril tube. Fins as in C. spectrum and C. phasma. Skin loose, thinner than in C. phasma. Color white or slightly brownish, minutely punctulate with black. Differing from C. spectrum in the minute size of the sucking disk, which is reduced to a mere rudiment entirely concealed by the anterior (lower) lobes of the pectoral fins, about one millimeter in diameter in a specimen 78 mm. long. Bering Sea, north of Unalaska Island, in deep water. (ostentum, a spectre.) Careproctus ostentum, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1898 (1896), 444, Bering Sea, north of Unalaska Island, at Albatross Stations 3324 and 3331, in 109 and 350 fathoms. (Type, No. 48619.) 2467. CAREPROCTUS GELATINOSUS (Pallas). D. more than 50; A. about 45; C..6; ceca 48; vertebra 64. Verti- cal fins contiguous. Ventral disk small, supported by a bilamellated cartilage, which descends from the throat. Body oblong, compressed, thicker toward the head and thinner toward the tail, semitransparent, Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2135 exceedingly soft, like jelly. Head thick, somewhat depressed, flat on the vertex, and convex between the orbits. Eyes directed upward; nostrils in middle between margin of mouth and orbit, with a small tubular appendage; a series of pores along upper lip toward gill opening. Lips thick; cleft of mouth directed upward, as in Uranoscopus, but with the lower jaw less prominent; jaws, palate, and pharynx rough with teeth; 4 gills on each side; 7 branchiostegals. Gill opening reduced to a slit above base of pectorals. Pectorals large, very broad, commencing at the throat, the inferior part of their bases being parallel, ascending to the gill opening, composed of about 30 rays, the inferior very short and not connected by amembrane. Dorsal and anal fins continuous with the caudal, commencing a little behind middle of body, and composed of feeble rays; jugular disk situated between the pectorals in front of the vent, very small, soft, supported by a bilamellated cartilage which descends from the throat; vent between pectorals; caudal small, 6-rayed. Rose-colored; vertical fins violet; gill cavity black. Steller adds the fol- lowing anatomical details: Ovarium orbicular, containing eggs of the size of a pea. Liver large, divided into 4 lobes, of a whitish color; gall bladder absent; spleen triangular, brown; stomach 3 times as wide as the esophagus; 48 pyloric appendages, 2 inches long and as thick as the wing feather of a pigeon, in a specimen 18 inches long; remainder of intestinal tract about as long as the fish; urine bladder the size of a hazelnut; kidneys united into one cuneiform mass, commencing near the gills and extending to anterior portion of ovarium; ureter single, very wide, flexous, becoming narrower before its insertion into the bladder. The nervi optici and olfactoriti have one common ganglion, from which, first, the former arise, emitting the latter from the angle formed by the nerves and the ganglion. Skeleton very slightly osseous. Coast of Kam- chatka. Specimens (1 of 18 inches long) were found by Steller in Peter and Paul Harbor, Kamchatka. (Pallas.) The species has not been recog- nized by recent writers. Notseen by us. (gelatinosus, jelly-like. ) Cyclopterus gelatinosus, PALLAS, Spicilegia, vil, 19, 1769, Peter and Paul Harbor, Petro- paulski Kamchatka. (Coll. Steller.) Liparis gelatinosus, GUNTHER, Cat., I11, 163, 1861. Careproctus gelatinosus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 740, 1883; GARMAN, Discoboli, in Memoir M. C. Z., No. 2, xrv, 76, 1892. Subgenus ALLOCHIR, Jordan & Evermann. 2465. CAREPROCTUS MELANURUS, Gilbert. Head 43 to 43 in length; depth 4} to 44. D. about 58; A. 50; P.30. Head heavy, with vertical cheeks, short bluntly rounded snout, and very broad, flat interorbital space. Width of interorbital space slightly more than 4 length of head. Mouth very broad, horizontal, with short lateral cleft, the maxillary reaching to below middle of eye; width of mouth equaling length of snout and eye. Teeth short and strong, in nar- row bands in both jaws; except at symphysis, the teeth of the bands are arranged in regular series running from inner edge of jaw forward and 2136 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. sideward. Tongue and roof of mouth papillose and toothless. Gill rakers tubercular. Nostrils single, in a very short wide tube, which is nearer eye than cleft of mouth. Gill opening oblique, entirely above base of pectorals, the length of slit equaling snout and 4 eye. A series of 6 pores along under side of mandible and interopercle; none on pre- opercle; 3 above premaxillary, and 2 pairs on snout; no pores along side of body. Sucking disk extremely small, little more than 4 diam- eter of orbit, its center and the middle of pupil equidistant from tip of snout; disk separated from vent by a trifle less than its own diam- eter. Pectorals forming a continuous lamella, following the margin of gill flap and lower jaw, the 2 fins becoming closely approximated in front of sucking disk; fin not notched, the rays decreasing regularly forward, 8 to 10 of the anterior rays exserted and elongated, the anterior 4 or 5 becoming again shorter and thicker, and wholly free from the mem- brane; pectorals scarcely reaching front of anal, } to ¢ length of head; dorsal beginning over gill slit, the distance from origin of anal to snout, 21 in length; fins all enveloped in thin lax skin, so that it is impossible to count rays accurately without dissection; posterior dorsal and anal rays well overlapping base of caudal, their membranes joining middle of candal rays. Color light rose-red on body and fins, abdomen usually dusky; inner face of pectorals, caudal, posterior portions of dorsal and anal, and inside of mouth and gill openings black; peritoneum silvery, with more or less black specking, sometimes nearly black. Several specimens, the longest about 6 inches long, from Albatross Stations 2840, 2891, 2892, 2925, and 3076, in depths from 178 to 339 fathoms off the coast of California and Oregon. (Gilbert.) (uéAas black; ovpc tail.) Oareproctus melanurus, GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1891, 560, off coast of California and Oregon, at Albatross Stations 2840, 2891, 2892, 2925, and 3076, in 178 to 339 fathoms. (Type in U.S. Nat. Mus.) Subgenus ALLURUS, Jordan & Evermann. 2469. CAREPROCTUS ECTENES, Gilbert. Head 51 in total length, its depth %, and its width } its length. An ex- tremely elongate form, depressed but narrow anteriorly, the head as seen from above appearing shovel-shaped, with truncate snout; nape not elevated and the cheeks not gibbous; width anteriorly everywhere ex- ceeding depth; mouth inferior and transverse, overlapped by the short, depressed snout for a distance equaling diameter of pupil; width of mouth nearly twice distance from symphysis of lower jaw to angle of mouth, the latter reaching vertical from snout to front of pupil. Teeth small, weakly tricuspid, in narrow bands, lower jaw containing 10 series in each half, the upper 11. Eye large, 1} in total interorbital width, equaling length of snout, 34in head. Nostrils with a very short tubular rim. Mucous pores large; texture of head and body firmer than in most deep-sea Liparids. Gill opening reduced to a narrow slit entirely above the pectorals, its width equaling } diameter of orbit. Opercle produced into a narrow spinous process, forming, with its membranaceous flap, a Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2137 quadrate projection over middle slit. Disk small, under the opercles and posterior part of cheeks, round in shape, slightly smaller than eye, its diameter + length of head; vent separated from disk by about 3 diameter of disk. Distance from vent to front of anal 4} its distance from tip of snout. Body extremely slender, its depth at middle of total length equai- ing diameter of eye, at base of caudal equaling } diameter of pupil. Dor- sal beginning slightly behind axil of pectorals; distance from origin of anal to tip of snout ; its distance from base of caudal; upper lobe of pec- toral extending slightly past front of anal, the lower lobe to opposite the vent; rays of lower lobe partly free; dorsal with about 51 rays, pectorals with 29. Color nearly uniform dusky brownish, lighter on snout, belly, and under side of head; mouth, gill cavity and peritoneum white. Length 3 inches. Bering Sea north of Unalaska Island, in deep water. (éurevns, drawn out.) Careproctus ectenes, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 442, Bering Sea north of Unalaska Island, at Albatross Station 3331, in 350 fathoms. 788. GYRINICHTHYS, Gilbert. Gyrinichthys, GILBERT, Rept. U. 8. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 444 (minytremus). Teeth simple, not tricuspid. Body attenuate posteriorly, as in Paralip- aris, the tail scarcely distinct. Disk small, under the posterior part of the head, the vent immediately behind it. Pectorals without anterior lobe, the rays progressively shortened, none of them exserted or with free tips. Gill openings reduced to a minute round pore, well above base of pectorals. One species known. (yvupivos, tadpole; 7y$vs, fish.) 2470. GYRINICHTHYS MINYTREMUS, Gilbert. Body in the type greatly distended with eggs, the original shape difficult to ascertain, tapering posteriorly into an extremely slender, compressed tail. Head siender, not greatly depressed, the depth and width about equal. Nuchal region not elevated, the profile rising but little behind the snout, which is blunt, with almost vertical profile. Mouth very small, almost entirely transverse at end of snout, with but little lateral cleft, the angle of mouth scarcely reaching vertical from nostril; jaws even, the snout very slightly protruding beyond premaxillaries. Teeth slender, acicular, without cusps, the inner teeth longest; bands of teeth very narrow, with but 5 or 6 oblique series in each half of each jaw; the teeth directed backward, but scarcely depressible. Nostrils without tube. Eye large, 14 in total interorbital width, equaling length of snout. Gill opening a small pore, scarcely larger than nostril, well sepa- rated from upper margin of pectoral. Disk of moderate size, round, its diameter equaling 4 length of head; vent close behind disk, separated from it by § its distance from front of anal fin. Pectoral small, its upper edge on a level with lower margin of eye, the 2 fins converging under the throat, the anterior rays progressively shortened, all included within the membrane; dorsal without any detached anterior portion, beginning well behind the head, at a distance from gill opening equaling } length of 3030 oT 2138 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. head; like the anal, it is continuous with the very narrow caudal fin, there being no notch or evident separation between them; distance from tip of snout to front of anal 13 in distance of latter from base of caudal; dorsal with about 45 rays; caudal with a very narrow base, containing, apparently, 14 rays, its length equaling that of snout andeye. Color light brownish, everywhere dusted with minute black specks, which are largest on back and tail; lining of mouth and gill cavity and peritoneum white. Eggs large, visible through the abdominal wall, about 34 mm. in diameter. Length 3 inches. Bering Sea, north of Unalaska Island, in 350 fathoms ; only the type known. (uixpods, reduced; rpywa, aperture. ) Gyrinichthys minytremus, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Comm. 1893 (1896), 444, Bering Sea, north of Unalaska Island, at Albatross Station 3331, in 350 fathoms. (Type, No. 48617.) 789. AMITRA, Goode. Amitra, Goopg, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 478 (liparina). Monomitra, Goovk, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1883, 109 (liparina) ; name changed on account of the prior use of the name Amitrus. Body elongate, attenuate backward, covered with lax, smooth, slimy skin, which is separated from the body and fins by a filmy mucous inter- tissue. Head small, thick, convex between eyes; snout convex, protrud- ing; mouth small, horizontal, the lower jaw included; teeth small; eyes lateral; gill openings restricted to sinall slits above the base of the pecto- rals, covered by the very small opercle; pseudobranchie present, very small, no barbels; dorsal and anal fins many-rayed; dorsal continuous, almost concealed by the skin, the spines scarcely different from the soft rays; anal similar to dorsal; both connected with the caudal, which is pointed; no trace of ventral fins or sucking disk; pectoral fin very broad, procurrent, its lower rays inserted nearly under the eye, the fin emargi- nate; vent well behind head. This genus is of very doubtful value, the presence of pseudobranchie alone separating it from Paraliparis.* (a, without; wzrpa, Stomacher.) 2471. AMITRA LIPARINA, Goode. D. 67; A. 54; pectoral 23; caudal 6. Body elongate, compressed pos. teriorly, very thin at the tail, covered by a thick, lax, slimy skin. Head small, thick, convex between the eyes, length 44 times in width, 4 *The following words of Professor Putnam, written before the discovery of Psychro- lutes and Liparidide without ventral disk, are of interest in this connection: ‘tI should put the family of G biesocide far away, at least a suborder off, from the Cyclopteride and Liparidide, which are far more closely united to the true Cottide, represented by Cottis and Hemitripterus, than to either the Gobiesocid@ proper or to the Gobies and Blennies. In fact, Liparis has as close aflinities, as shown by its skeleton, with Cottus and Hemi- tripterus as with Cyclopterus; and we have in the three groups, represented by Cottus, Liparis, and Cyclopterus, well-marked families of thesame suborder. The only character by which the Cyclopteride and Liparidide are closely united consists inthe peculiar form- ation of the ventral disk by the union of the ventral fins; but as this structure is simply brought about by the modification of the rays in a manner common to the several genera, and not by any marked anatomical difference in the structure of the same fins in Cottus, IT can only look upon it asa generic character common to the known representatives of both families of Cyclopteride and Liparidide; and the discovery of a representative of either family with ventral fins of the ordinary form would not necessitate the establish- ment of a family for its reception, as in that case we should simply consider the structure as of generic value.”’ (Putnam, Proc. Am. Ass. Adv, Sci. 1873, 337.) Jordan and Evermann,—Ffishes of North America, 2139 of the total length without caudal; snout convex, protruding; mouth under the snout and far back from its tip; eyes lateral, 4 as wide as the interorbital area; nostrils in front of the eye. Operculum very small, * strap-shaped. Gills 34. Pseudobranchize present. Teeth weak, paved. Dorsal beginning over end of pectoral, the rays and outline, as of the anal, hardly visible through the skin; anal beginning below eighth to tenth dorsal rays; dorsal and anal rays closely connected with those of caudal, which are larger and extend in a pencil-like point; ventrals absent; pectoral broad, lower base almost below posterior margin of orbit, lowest 6 rays prolonged. The jugular disk can not be found. Color yellowish white, dusky toward the tail and blackish upon the anterior part of the head; abdominal cavity showing black through the skin. Length 5 inches. Atlantic Ocean, off Rhode Island, in 487 fathoms. (Goode.) (liparina, like Liparis.) Amitra liparina, GOODE, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 487, off Rhode Toland (Type, No. 26184. Coll. Fish Hawk); JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 739, 1883. Monomitra liparina, GOODE, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1883, 109. Paraliparis liparinus, GUNTHER, Ohallenger, Report, Xx11, Deep-sea Fishes, 68, 1887; GAR- MAN, Discoboli, 52, 1892; GOODE & BEAN, Oceanic Ichthyology, 278, 1896. 790. PARALIPARIS, Collett. Paraliparis, COLLETT, Vid. Selsk. Forh. Christiana, 14, 32, 1878 (bathybii). Hilgendorjia, GOODE & BEAN, Oceanic Ichthyology, 280, 1896 (membranacea). Amitrichthys, JORDAN & EVERMANN, Check-List, 453, 1896 (cephalus). This genus differs from Careproctus chiefly in the total absence of the ventral disk. The teeth, so far as described, are simple, as in the older individuals of Careproctus. Body long, slender in the caudal portion, covered with a loose, thin skin. Vent remote from the anal. Pecto- rals deeply notched or divided. Dorsal and anal long, and confluent with the caudal. Vertebrie numerous. Gill rakers 34. Pseudobranchie entirely wanting. Deep-sea fishes of the Arctic. The species are all of ‘very recent discovery. They vary considerably among themselves, and are perhaps divisible into 2 or 3 genera. Among such degenerate forms, the characters usually taken as generic lose their value. (zapa, near; Liparis.) a. Insertion of pectoral low, its upper ray below the level of the eye. PARALIPARIS: b. Gill openings rather large, the gill slit extending downward to opposite middle of pectoral; head large, 5in length; depth 6. D.60; A.54; pectoral divided to the base, its lobes wholly separate, its rays 24; lower jaw included. HOLOMELAS, 2472. AMITRICHTHYS (a, without; witpa, stomacher; ixéus, fish.) : bb. Gill openings restricted to the region above pectorals. c. Head very large, 44 in length, its depth at occiput 4% in length, twice depth of body at front of anal; lower jaw projecting; pectoral rays 14, the fin simply notched. CEPHALUS, 2473. cc. Head rather small, 5 to 61 in length. d. Pectoral fin divided to the base, its lobes separate; lower jaw in- cluded; head 53 in length; depth 43. ROSACEUS, 2474, 2140 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. dd. Pectoral fin more or less deeply notched, not divided to base. e. Lower jaw projecting. P.16; D. 57; A.43; head 5% in length; depth 53. MENTO, 2475. ee. Lower jaw included. . f. Pectoral rays 31; head 64 in length; depth 6. D.65; A. 55. COPEI, 2476. ff. Pectoral rays 30; head 5 in length; depth 6}. D.56; A. 46. DACTYLOSUS, 2477. HILGENDORFIA :* aa. Insertion of pectoral very high, its upper rays above pupil; lower jaw included; pectoral fin notched; gill opening small; head 5; depth 5. D. 65; A. 60; Pe 2D: ULOCHIR, 2478. Subgenus PARALIPARIS, Collett. 2472. PARALIPARIS HOLOMELAS, Gilbert. Head about 5; depth about 6; eye 33. D. 58 to 61; A. 54. Head very large and heavy, with very broadly rounded snout, and much swollen occipital and nuchal regions, the highest point over upper opercular augle, from which point the profile descends rapidly backward, though much less so than in P. cephalus. Snout very blunt, evenly rounded, very slightly projecting beyond the mouth, its width equaling length of snout and eye, + length of head; eye } interorbital width; mouth large, horizontal, quite at lower side of snout, entirely below the eye; max- illary reaching a vertical slightly behind posterior margin of orbit, 1{ in head; teeth acute, arranged in oblique series in each jaw, forming a very narrow band in mandible, a broader band in upper jaw; very large mucous slits on head, 5 forming a series from tip of snout below eye and across cheek, 6 along mandible and preopercle; gill slit wide, extending from above opercular flap nearly to middle of base of pectorals, its length 21 in that of head; opercle forming posteriorly a narrow angular flap, projecting above base of pectorals; no pseudobranchie ; vent below oper- cular flap, or somewhat in advance of that point, nearer to base of pec- torals anteriorly than to first anal ray; pectorals inserted very low, the base of upper lobe vertical, the base of notch and lower lobe horizontal, the upper end of base below the level of the eye; pectorals with 2 wholly distinet lobes, the interspace without free membranaceous margin, the skin of abdomen directly continuous at this point with that of shoulder girdle. On dissecting off the integument, however, the interspace between the lobes is seen to be provided with 2 or 3 short, widely spaced rays, as in all other species examined by us; upper lobe long, reaching beyond front of anal, the rays close set, 18 in number, included in the membranes to their tips; lower lobe consisting of 5 or 6 slender, almost filamentous rays, the longest reaching front of anal, all of them free to the base, without connecting membrane; anterior (lower) ends of shoulder girdle approximate, the rays separated by a distance equaling 4 diameter of pupil; dorsal beginning above base of pectorals. Color uniformly black, including fins and lining of mouth and gill cavity. Closely allied to P. * Named for Dr. Franz Hilgendorf, ichthyologist of the University of Berlin. Jordan and Evermann,—Fishes of North America, 2141 cephalus and P. mento, differing in its uniform coloration, its more inferi- orly placed horizontal mouth, and the distinctly included lower jaw. Length 4 inches. Bering Sea, north of Unalaska Island, in deep water; only 2 specimens known. (Gilbert.) (60s, entirely; wéAas, black.) Paraliparis holomelas, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 441, Bering Sea, north of Unalaska Island, at Albatross Stations 3308 and 3332, in 406 and 1,625 fathoms. (Type, No. £8637.) Subgenus AMITRICHTHYS, Jordan & Evermann. 2475. PARALIPARIS CEPHALUS,* Gilbert. Head very large, high, and compressed, the upper profile descending in a strong convex curve behind the occiput; body tapering posteriorly to a very narrow thread-like tail. Sides of head vertical or inclining inwards below. Height of head twice height of body opposite origin of anal. Interorbital space transversely rounded, its width slightly less than length of snout and eye. Eye of moderate size, 4 in head, without verti- cal range. Mouth oblique, the premaxillaries but little below lower margin of eye; lower jaw longer than upper, the tip protruding; max- illary reaching vertical from posterior margin of eye, slightly more than length of head. Gill slits narrow, confined to a region above the base of the pectorals; membrane connecting branchiostegal rays with shoulder girdle very delicate and easily ruptured; vent distant less than a diameter of the orbit from this point, being below the front margin of the preo- perele. Teeth in narrow bands in both jaws, the teeth of the bands arranged in oblique series running outward and forward; palate tooth- less. Head 44 in length, greatest depth (at occiput) 42. Pectoral small, with about 14 rays, the upper ones closest and forming a projecting lobe, which extends backwards to beyond origin of anal, the succeeding rays shortened and wide set, and with the tips free from the membrane, the fin somewhat mutilated, but apparently notched, not, however, to the base, the median portion having wide-set rays; upper margin of pec- torals on a level with tip of lower jaw; dorsal beginning slightly behind head; first ray of anal under eighth of dorsal. Color light reddish, the abdomen blue black; inside of mouth and gill opening white. In the smallest specimens, 2 inches long, the color is dusky on head and body, and on inside of mouth. Longest specimen 34 inches. This species dif- fers from Paraliparis (Hilgendorfia) membranaceus in the structure of the pectoral fins and their much fewer rays, in the position of the vent (below the posterior margin of the orbit in membranaceus), the different outline of head, and in the larger, more oblique mouth. In none of the specimens of cephalus are there fin folds extending forward from front of dorsal and anal, as described in membranaceus. Alaska to California, in deep water; * Dr. Gilbert later records several more or less mutilated specimens afterwards taken north of Unalaska Island, and near Point Reyes, California, in depths of 351 and 455 fathoms. In this species the pectoral is inserted very low, its upper edge entirely below the eye. The lower jaw shuts within the upper, but the symphysis protrudes. The dis- proportion in size of head and body is more exaggerated in the yonng than in adults. In very small examples the head is almost spherical, diminishing abruptly to the very slender tail. No pseudobranchiz. (Gilbert.) 2142 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. several specimens in 284 to 685 fathoms off the coast of California and Oregon, and north of Unalaska. (xe¢aA7), head.) Paraliparis cephalus, GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1891, 561, off California and Oregon, at Albatross Stations 2839, 2892, 3070, and 3071, in 284 to 685 fathoms. 2474, PARALIPARIS ROSACEUS, Gilbert. Head small, 53; depth 43. D.58; A. 53. Body slender, covered with lax skin, which invests also the fins; mouth transverse, nearly horizontal, the maxillary scarcely vertical from front of pupil, equaling length of snout, 34 in head; eye } interorbital width, 5 in head. Teeth in lower jaw pointed, in a single close-set series, their even tips forming an almost uniform cutting edge; teeth in upper jaw apparently paved, the jaw pre- senting a smooth, rounded surface, on which the teeth are little evident, but occasionally presenting sharp, projecting points; lower jaw included. A series of conspicuous mucous pores on snout, mandible, and on preoper- cle. Gill opening a narrow slit above base of pectorals. Pectoral fin divided into 2 wholly distinct lobes not connected by intervening rays, a space without rays present, equaling diameter of pupil; lower lobe of 4 rays, the longest # head, inserted under preopercular margin; main por- tion of the fin with about 15 rays and but slightly longer than the lower lobe; dorsal beginning behind middle of pectorals, its distance from tip of snout 44 in length; distance of origin of anal from tip of snout equal- ing 4 standard length; vent under base of upper pectoral rays, but wholly behind base of lower lobe of pectorals, its distance from tip of snout equaling length of head and equaling also its distance from origin of anal; no trace of ventral disk or fins. Color light rose-red, the fins and head largely, jet black; abdomen behind vent blackish; peritoneum and lining membranes of mouth and gill cavity jet-black. Length 54 inches. Off coast of Southern California. (rosaceus, rosy.) Paraliparis rosaceus, GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1890, 93, off coast of California at Albatross Station, 2919, 984 fathoms; GARMAN, Discoboli, 80, 1892. 2475. PARALIPARIS MENTO, Gilbert. Head 53 in length without caudal, equaling the greatest depth. D. 57; A. 43; pectoral 16. Eye a trifle less than interorbital width, greater than snout, 3 in head; mouth oblique, with lateral cleft, the maxillary reaching slightly beyond the middle of the orbit, } as long as the head; chin very prominent, the mandible with a wide, membranaceous border, which forms anteriorly a broad free fold over anterior portion of base of pectorals. Teeth in both jaws comparatively long and slender, not tricuspid, arranged in bands, those in upper jaw at least in oblique rows as usual in Liparids. Nostril with a single opening and without tube. Gill opening but little wider than diameter of eye, confined to region above base of pectorals. Pectorals inserted very low, their upper rays below level of angle of mouth, the base almost horizontal, and the ante- rior ends of shoulder girdle form prominent projections below tips of mandibles, fin very deeply notched, the upper lobe extending slightly Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 2143 beyond origin of anal, the shortest middle ray about ¢ that length; a few of the lower rays elongate and partly free from the membrane, the longest equaling the length of the upper lobe; middle pectoral rays wide set, but no rayless interval between the lobes; pectorals converging to immedi- diately behind symphysis of lower jaw, where their bases meet; anal opening vertically below middle of orbit; dorsal beginning a trifle behind the upper angle of gill opening, the anal origin under its eighth ray. Skin loosely investing the head and body. Light reddish, made dusky by minute dark dots; abdomen blue black; mouth and gill cavity light or dusky. Closely allied to Paraliparis ( Hilgendoryfia ) membranaceus (Giin- ther), but with very heavy lower jaw, which projects beyond the upper. The premaxillaries are high, on the level of the lower rim of the orbit, and the form is much more elongate. The pectorais are inserted much lower, and the vent is farther forward. Length 3 inches. Off the coast of Oregon in deep water. (Gilbert.) (mento, having a projecting chin.) Paraliparis mento, GILBERT, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1891, 562, off Coast of Oregon at Alba- tross Station 3071, in 685 fathoms. 2476. PARALIPARIS COPEI, Goode & Bean. Head 6}; depth about 6; snout 3}; eye 35%. D. 60; A. 55; pectoral 17+ 3; caudal 10. Snout broad, obtuse; interorbital width equaling length of posterior part of head; nostril about midway between eye and tip of snout, in a very short tube. Five large mucous pores on each side of snout, 3 smaller ones on cheek under eye, and 6 on mandible and edge of opercular bores. Teeth minute, villiform, and in 2 series. Gill opening a very small slit, edged with black at upper angle of pectoral. Origin of dorsal distant from snout 1} times length of head; tip of pectoral when extended about under second or third ray of dorsal; anal origin under ninth or tenth dorsal ray; length of middle caudal ray 10} times in standard length; longest pectoral ray equaling 4 dis- tance from snout to dorsal; longest ray of the isolated portion of the fin equaling that of middle caudal ray ; distance of vent from tip of snout nearly equal to length of head; vent a narrow slit placed horizontally, directly under base of pectoral. Pyloric ceca 4 to 6. Color, anterior half of body very pale, whitish; posterior half very light brown; snout, chin, and edge of gill opening and region about the vent black. This species has nearly the same number of rays in the dorsal and anal as are recorded for P. bathybius, but the pectoral has 17 rays in the upper portion and 3 in the lower. The jaws are shorter than in P. bathybius; the form is more elongate and the coloration is strikingly different, anterior half of the body pale, almost whitish, while the snout, chin, and anal origin are black. Length about 8 inches. The eggs of an example a little smaller than the type have a diameter of about 3mm. At the same time the ovaries con- tain some eggs, which have not reached maturity, whose diameter is only tmm. The stomach is a stout subspherical receptacle, its greatest width 2 ofitslength. Gulf Stream, in deep water. (Named for Prof. Edward Drinker Cope.) 2144 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, Paraliparis copei, GOODE & BEAN, Oceanic Ichthyology, 279, fig. 253, 1896, Gulf Stream, at Albatross Station 2232, in 39° 12/ 17’’ N., 72° 9’ 30'' W., in 520 fathoms, (Type, No. 35637.) 2477. PARALIPARIS DACTYLOSUS, Gilbert. Head 5; depth 6}. D. about 56; A. about 46. Shape of head much the same as in P. ulochir, the snout broadly rounder, slightly, if at all, over- lapping the horizontal mouth, and the cheeks vertical. Occiput and nape not conspicuously swollen. Lower jaw included; maxillary reaching vertical behind middle of pupil, 23 in head. Eye large, 3 in head; bony interorbital space 5; snout 44. Gill opening a narrow slit extending to opposite third or fourth pectoral ray, its length equaling diameter of pupil. Teeth acute, in narrow bands in each jaw, each band made up of oblique rows. Opercle produced into a pointed lobe, which is sepa- rated from upper pectoral ray by a distance equaling diameter of pupil. Dorsal beginning slightly behind upper base of pectorals; pectorals inserted lower than in P. ulochir, the upper ray on a level with or below margin of pupil; as in P. wlochir, the 2 lobes joined by a series of about 8 more widely spaced rays, none of the rays is free; anterior ends of the fins meeting under throat at a point vertically below the pupil; pec- toral rays 30, of which about 10 constitute the lower lobe; upper rays extending beyond front of anal, but the lower lobe apparently much shorter. Vent anterior in position, its distance from pectoral symphysis + its distance from front of anal. Each of the types has lost the epider- mis. In this condition the head and body are light or slightly dusky, except the eyes, opercles, gill membranes, and abdomen, which are black; gill cavity and mouth black; probably black everywhere in life. Very close to P.ulochir, but with the upper insertion of pectoral much lower, opposite the lower margin of pupil, and the head and body much more slender and elongate. Length about 3} inches. Off Santa Cruz, Cali- fornia, in deep water. (dactylosus, daxurvdAos, fingered.) Paraliparis dactylosus, GILBERT, Rept. U. S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 469, pl. 34, fig. 2, off Santa Cruz, California, at Albatross Station 3112, in 296 fathoms. Subgenus HILGENDORFIA,* Goode & Bean. 2478. PARALIPARIS ULOCHIR, Gilbert. Head about 5 in length, equaling the depth. D. about 65; A. about 60. Snout broad and short, very slightly projecting beyond the mouth, the *The subgenus Hilgendorjia, Goode & Bean, is thus defined: ‘‘ Liparids with large, high, compressed head, whose bones are exceedingly thin, cavernous jaws, even in front. Vertical fins represented by broad median folds, contluent at the posterior end of the body, where the caudal is represented by 2 or 3 exceedingly fine, slender, terminal filaments. Pectoral very large, broad based, with membranes fringed posteriorly and having several of the lower rays free, though not forming a distinct portion of the fin. No ventral disk. Vent far advanced, opposite hind margin of orbit. Gill opening asin Amitra. The type described by Giinther is only 60 mm. in length, and he remarks concerning it that itis uncertain whether it represents a form in which embryonic characters are persistent, or merely an early stage of development. Its peculiarities seem sufticient to warrant its being set apart for further study before it is merged with Paraliparis. It is named for Dre eae Hilgendorf, of the Royal Zoological Museum, Berlin.’’ (Oceanic Ichthyology, 80, 1896.) Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2145 distance from tip of snout to front of eye 44 in length of head. Eye large, 3 to 34 in head, nearly twice the bony interorbital width. Differing from other Pacific species in the high insertion of the pectorals and their short horizontal limb, and from P. holomelas in having the fins not divided into 2 separate lobes. In general appearance greatly resembling P. holo- melas, being also uniformly black in color, having the same broadly rounded snout, horizontal mouth with included lower jaw, and prominent occipital and nuchal region. The maxillary reaches vertical just behind pupil and is contained 2;); times in head. Teeth acute, in rather broad bands in both jaws. Gill opening a narrow slit, restricted to area above base of pectoral, not longer than diameter of pupil. Opercle forming a short, pointed lobe posteriorly, which touches base of upper pectoral ray. The head is denuded of skin, so the nature of the mucous pores can not be made out. Dorsal beginning above upper base of pectorals; pectoral placed higher than in any other species known, its base describing a gentle, even curve, convex backward, horizontal for a very short distance anteriorly, its upper end above level of pupil, and its lower anterior end vertically below posterior margin of orbit; upper and lower rays of the fin fine and crowded, the middle third of the base being occupied by 4 or 5 more widely spaced rays; the fin with 25 rays, of which 9 belong to the lower lobe; upper lobe extending beyond origin of anal fin; none of the rays free; lower anterior ends of pectorals closely approximated, without perceptible interspace. Vent anterior in position, a distinct, though short, anal papilla. Distance from vent to anterior end of pecto- ral base 4+ its distance from front of anal. Longest specimen 85 mm. Uniformly black, including mouth and branchial cavity. Gulf of Cali- fornia and Bering Sea north of Unalaska Island, in deep water. (ovdds, complete; veto, hand.) Paraliparis ulochir, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish. Comm. 1893(1896), 441, Gulf of California, at Albatross Station 3010, in 1,005 fathoms. 791. RHINOLIPARIS, Gilbert. Rhinoliparis, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 445 (barbulifer). Allied to Paraliparis, from which it differs in the gently produced snout, which much overlaps the mouth, and bears at its tip a pair of barbels. No sucking disk. Vent anterior, between the pectoral tins; pectorals deeply notched, continuous; gill openings narrow, mostly above the pec- torals. Teeth acute, in a broad band in each jaw, arranged in oblique series within the band. Deep sea. (zv, snout; Liparis.) 2479. RHINOLIPARIS BARBULIFER, Gilbert. Head 53; depth 7; eye nearly 3. Slender, compressed, the greatest depth just in front of dorsal, the nuchal region not greatly swollen. Body tapering into an extremely slender, almost filamentous, tail. Mouth small, horizontal, inferior, overpassed by the broadly rounded, very soft snout for a distance equaling diameter of pupil. At the tip of the snout, 2146 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. separated by a space 4+ as wide as pupil, are 2 barbels directed forward, each as long as the interspace. Maxillary reaching vertical from posterior border of orbit, 24 in head; bony portion of interorbital width narrow, 2 diameter of pupil; gill slit narrow, beginning opposite upper pectoral rays, } diameter of orbit; no pseudobranchi; opercle prolonged posteri- orly into a narrow pointed flap; round mucous pores along under side of snout and suborbital, and on under side of mandible. Pectorals of 2 lobes, the lower narrow, containing but 4 or 5 rays, the upper with about 15, 1 or 2 rays widely spaced connecting the 2, none of the rays free, the fin inserted high, the upper end of base on a level with upper edge of pupil; below, the fins are not approximated as closely as usual, the lowermost rays of the 2 fins separated by an interspace as wide as pupil, inserted on a ver- tical through middle of cheek; dorsal originating slightly in front of gill sit. Vent anterior in position, its distance from front of pectorals 2 its distance from front of anal fin. In spirits, light gray, dusky along bases of dorsal and anal fins and on the nape; the black lining of abdominal cavity, gill cavity, and mouth can be seen through the transparent integuments; eye also black; barbels transparent, hence very inconspicuous. Length about 34 inches. Bering Sea, north of Unalaska Island, in deep water. (barbula, a small barbel; fero, I bear.) Rhinoliparis barbulifer, GILBERT, Rept. U.S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 445, Bering Sea, north of Unalaska Island, at Albatross Stations 3227, 3325, 3326, and others, in 225 to 576 fathoms. Suborder CRANIOMI. Scapular arch abnormal, the post-temporal forming an integral part of the cranium and the postero-temporal crowded out of place by the side of the proscapula above or at the edge of the post-temporal. In other respects essentially as in the Loricati, from which the Craniomi are derived. The suborbital stay characteristic of both groups, in the Craniomi is highly developed, its.surface forming part of the bony armature of the head. Fishes mostly of the warm seas, often singular in form, the head always with a coat of mail. (xpdvior, skull; wos, shoulder. ) a. Myodome* developed and cranial cavity open in front; prosethmoid and anteal nor- mally connected by suture. Infraorbital chain with its anterior bones excluded from the orbit and functional as rostrolateral, the series covering the cheeks, the third a large buecal bone articulating with the anterior wall of the preopercu- lum; post-temporal suturally connected with the opiotic and pterotic by inferior processes, and with the upper surface forming an integral part of the cranium; intermaxillaries with the ascending pedicles atrophied and connected with the knob of the anteal by ligament. Postero-temporal contiguous to the proscapula; ventral rays I, 5; the fins inserted wide apart; gill membranes free from the isthmus. b. Pectoral fin with its 3 lowermost rays detached as feelers; teeth present. TRIGLIDAH, CLX XXIV. bb. Pectoral fin with its 2 lowermost rays detached as feelers; mouth toothless. PERISTEDIID#, CLXXXY. * The skeletal characters here given are taken from Dr. Gill. (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1888, 567-592.) Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 2147 aa. Myodome undeveloped, the cranial cavity mostly closed in front by expansions from the subtectals suturally connected with corresponding expansions of the pro- otics and the parasphenoid; prosethmoid and anteal entirely disconnected, leay- ing a capacious rostral chamber opening backward mesially into the interorb ital region. Infraorbital chain with its second and third bones crowded out of the orbital margin by junction of the first and fourth, and leaving a wide interval between the suborbitals and preoperculum; the first very long and extending backward, the second under the fourth, and the third developed as a small spe- cial bone (pontinal) bridging the interval between the second suborbital and the antero-inferior angle of the preoperculum; post-temporal suturally connected with the posterior bones of the cranium, and with the upper surface forming a large part of the roof of the head; intermaxillaries with well-developed ascend- ing pedicles gliding into the cavity between the anteal and prosethmoid. Postero-temporal distant from the proscapula, and manifest as an ossicle on the edge of the post-temporal. ce. Pectoral fin divided to the base into 2 unequal parts; no free feelers; gill membranes broadly joined to the isthmus; ventral rays I, 4, the fins con- tiguous. CEPHALACANTHID, CLXXXVI1. Family CLXXXIV. TRIGLID. (THE GURNARDS.) Body elongate, usually more or iess fusiform, covered with scales or bony plates. Head externally bony, entirely cuirassed with rough, bony plates, some of which are armed with spines; eyes high; mouth terminal or subinferior; premaxillaries protractile; maxillary without supple- mental bone, slipping under the preorbital; teeth very small, in bands in the jaws, and usually on vomer and palatines; gills 4, a large slit behind the fourth; pseudobranchiz present; gill rakers various; gill membranes free from the isthmus. Ventral fins thoracic, wide apart, separated by a flat area, their rays 1,5. Spinous dorsal present, short; soft dorsal simi- lar to the anal, which is without spines; caudal narrow, few-rayed; pec- toral large, with broad base, with 3 lower rays detached, forming feelers. These free rays are used chiefly in search for food, turning over stones, exploring shells, etc.* Air bladder present; pyloric cca usually present, few in number. Singular looking fishes, found in all warm seas. Genera 5; species about 40, some of them in rather deep water, these red in color, the others living about rocks. (Triglide, pt., Giinther, Cat., 11, 191-210.) a. Palatines with teeth. b. Dorsal spines low, the longest usually much shorter than head; scales moderate, 50 to 80 pores. PRionotws, 792. bb. One or 2 of the dorsal spines greatly elevated, about as long as body; scales large, rough, the pores 40. BELLATOR, 793. aa. Palatines toothless; scales small. ce. Lateral line without enlarged bony plates. CHELIDONICHTHYS, 794. cc. Lateral line armed with a series of transverse bony plates. TrRIGLA, 795 *See note by Albro D. Morrill, Journ. Morphology, x1, 1895, 177. 2148 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 792. PRIONOTUS,* Lacépede. (GURNARDS. ) Prionotus, LAChPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 11, 37, 1802 (evolans). - Ornichthys, SWAINSON, Nat. Hist. Class’n Fishes, 1, 262, 1839 (punctatus). Ohriolax, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U.S, Nat. Mus. 1878, 374 (evolans). Gurnardus, JORDAN & EVERMANN, new subgenus (gymnostethus). Merulinus, JORDAN & EVERMANN, new subgenus (carolinus). Body subfusiform; profile of head descending to the broad depressed snout, which is much longer than the small eye; eyes close together, high up; surface of head entirely bony, the bones rough with ridges and granulations; scales on head few or none; preopercle with 1 or 2 sharp spines at its angle; opercle with a sharp spine; nape with 2 strong spines; a spine on shoulder girdle. Mouth rather broad; bands of small, almost granular, teeth on jaws, vomer and palatines; gill membranes nearly separate, free from isthmus; gill rakers rather long. Body covered with small, rough scales, which are not keeled; lateral line continuous; scales on breast very small. Dorsal fins distinct, the first of 8 to 10rather stout spines, the third usually highest, but mostly shorter than head; anal fin similar to soft dorsal; pectoral fin with the 5 lower anterior rays thickened, entirely free from each other and from the fin; ventrals I, 5, wide apart, with a flat space between them, the inner rays longest. Pylo- rie ceca in moderate humber; air bladder generally with lateral muscles and divided into 2 lateral parts; vertebre 10 or 11415. Species numer- ous, all but 1 being American.t Representing in America the Old World genus Trigla. Some of them in deep water. They are well defined and easily recognized, but vary considerably with age, and are not easily thrown into subordinate groups. Most of the characters in the following analysis have been taken from adult individuals. Young examples in most cases differ from the adults in the following respects, in addition to those characters which usually distinguish young fishes: The spines on theshead are sharper, more conspicuous, and more compressed in the young, and some spines, especially those on the side of the head, disappear entirely with age. The interorbital space is more concave in the young. The pec- toral fins are also much shorter. The gill rakers are longer in the young, and proportionately more slender, and some of the color markings—espe- cially the darker cross shades—are more conspicuous, while the spots on body and fins are less so. (zpi@v, saw; v@rtos, back; 3 free saw-like spines being said to intervene between the two dorsals. ) a. Mouth comparatively small, the maxillary less than 4 the length of the head, the man- dible usually not extending backward as far as the vertical from the front of the eye; generally a more or less distinct cross groove on top of head behind eye; black spot on spinous dorsal usually more or less distinct. GuRrRNARDUs (from Gurnard): b. Snout distinctly birostrate, its tip deeply emarginate; anterior profile of head strongly concave; pectoral fin very short, little if any longer than head; inter- orbital space deeply concave. *¥or a detailed account of the species of Prionotus see Jordan & Hughes, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1886, 327, et seq. 5 + The single species found outside our limits is Prionotus japonicus, Bleeker. Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America. 2149 c. Preopercular spine with a smaller one at base in front. d. Center of radiation of cheek with a strong spine, there being 4 spines in a right line from rostral plate to preopercular spine; rostral projections very nar- row; body slender; scales small; 3 dorsal spines granulate. BIROSTRATUS, 2480. dd. Center of radiation of cheek without spine; 1 or 2 spinules below preopercular spine. e. Breast and belly wholly naked; dorsal spines 10 or 11. GYMNOSTETHUS, 2481. ee. Breast and belly with small scales; dorsal spines 8 or 9. XENISMA, 2482. ec. Preopercular spine with no smaller one at base in front; dorsal spines 10; pores 50; body with olive vermiculations and oblique brown bars. LOXIAS, 2483. MERULINUS (Merula,a robin): bb. Snout not distinctly birostrate, the anterior profile usually not strongly concave. f. Pectoral fin long, reaching past front of anal. g. Pectoral fin not reaching base of caudal; gill rakers moderate, 8 or 10 developed ; snout not strongly emarginate; no spine on cheek bone or edge of snout; dorsal spines 10. h. Body not very slender, the depth 5 in length; head not very small, its length 3 in body; groove across top of head behind eye, very con- spicuous; interorbital area moderately concave, rather broad, about equal to diameter of eye; bones of head comparatively smooth, the preocular, postocular, occipital, and nuchal spines low, depressed; temporal ridge conspicuous, without spines. Dorsal spines low, the second 2} in head, the first moderately serrate; base of soft dorsal equal to distance from tip of snout to tip of humeral spine; caudal fin lunate, its outer rays } to 1 longer than inner; pectoral fin some- what rounded, the longest ray about the fifth; free rays of pectoral] expanded toward tip, with decurrent membrane; scales rather large; about 58 pores. Body and fins nearly plain, mottled with darker, but without well-defined spots except the dorsal ocellus; back with 4 obscure cross blotches; 2 or 3 oblique pale streaks across spinous dorsal. Gill membranes dusky. Young with head rougher, pectoral fins shorter, dark spots on body more distinct. CAROLINUS, 2484. hh. Body very slender, the depth about 6 in length; groove across top of head behind eye, conspicuous; interorbital area narrow, deeply con- cave, its width about 3 the diameter of the eye; bones of head very smooth, the striations very weak; spines on top of head (preocular, supraocular, occipital, and nuchal) short and sharp, not depressed ; temporal ridge blunt, without spine. i. Pectoral short, reaching little past front of anal, not 4 length of body. Dorsal spines very high, the second 1 in head, the first moderately serrate; soft dorsal high, its base about 4 longer than head; caudal truncate; free rays of pectoral a little expanded at tip; 52 pores. Body covered with roundish bronze spots of various sizes; smaller ~ bronze spots on the head; both dorsals, caudal, and pectoral fins with similar bronze spots, these especially numerous and distinct on soft dorsal. SCITULUS, 2485. ii. Pectoral longer, reaching past middle of anal, more than 4 body; pores 62; color rose-red, not spotted; pectorals dusky. ROSEUS, 2486. gg. Pectoral fins very long, reaching base of caudal, the rays graduated; 50 pores in the lateral line; gill rakers shortish, 1+6 in number; body rather stout, the depth 4 in length; palatine teeth few, feeble; caudal subtruncate; second dor- sal spine longest, 4 the length of head; first spine strongly serrated in front; preopercular spine with a smaller one at its base; head 2} in length. D. X-12; A.11. Body with 4 faint cross bands; caudal with black tip and 2 paler cross shades; spinous dorsal with small dark spots besides the large one; soft dorsal plain; pectorals clouded. ALATUS, 2487. 2150 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum, PRIONOTUS: aa. Mouth comparatively large, the maxillary 2 to 2} in the length of head, the mandible extending backward to opposite eye, or nearly so; usually no distinct cross groove on top of head; free rays of pectoral tapering, not expanded at tip; black blotch on spinous dorsal diffuse, not ocellated, involving the membranes of more than two spines. j Preopercular spine without a distinct smaller spine at its base in front. k. Pectoral fins very long, reaching at least to beyond the second third of the soft dorsal. l. Seales rather small, about 75 pores in lateral line; head large, comparatively smooth, the interorbital area narrow, concave, not } diameter of eye; orbital rim low, scarcely serrate; preorbital serrulate; pectoral fin long, reaching middle of anal; coloration plain, slightly clouded; form rather slender; head 24; depth4}. D. X-12; A.11. MILEs, 2488. ll. Scales moderate, 50 to 55 pores in lateral line. m. Head large, nearly plane above, the interorbital space scarcely concave, its width equal to eye; snout very short, 24 in head; maxillary 2} in head, reaching past front of orbit; bands of palatine teeth very narrow; bones of head smoothish, little striate; gill rakers rather long, about 10 below angle; first dorsal spine slightly rough in front, the third spine nearly 4 the length of the head; caudal slightly concave; pectoral reaching ninth anal ray, its outline rounded; scales about 55. Color pale olivaceous, back and sides with a few dark spots; second dorsal with 3 rows of black spots; caudal with 3 rows of dark blotches; pectorals with round dark blotches. D. X-12; A.11. STEPHANOPHRYS, 2489. mm. Head not plane above, the interorbital space more or less concave; dorsal spines 10. n. Supraorbital cirrus wanting. o. Pectoral fins moderate, not reaching in adult beyond dorsal and anal. p. Interorbital space moderately concave, its width nearly equal to eye; orbital rim little elevated; preorbital with 15 to 20 fine serra, the last one directed backward; preopercular spine long. QUIESCENS, 2490. pp. Interorbital space very narrow, deeply concave, its width about 2 length of eye; rim elevated and serrate; preorbital with about 20 small serre, blunt and even; head well armed; snout and jaws white. ALBIROSTRIS, 2491. oo. Pectorals very long, reaching in adult beyond base of dorsal and anal; inter- orbital space moderately concave, its width about 4 length of eye; no cirrus above the eye; distance from supraocular spine to nuchal scales about equal to eye; supraocular and nuchal spines low; occipital spines wanting; temporal ridge sharp, ending in a blunt spine; pre- orbital projecting, strongly serrate; a blunt spine on each side of snout, behind serrz of preorbital; a blunt spine behind this above angle of mouth; no spine on cheek bone in adult; upper opereular spine almost obsolete; bones of head rather strongly striate, but not granulate; gill rakers short; mouth moderate; scales rather large; about 52 pores. D. X-11; A.10. First dorsal spine not much shorter than second, which is 2} in head; caudal very slightly concave; ven- trals reaching a little past vent; head 3; depth 5. Color nearly plain brownish, with darker clouds; no distinct spots anywhere on body or fins; the pectorals marbled with paler. RUBIO, 2492. nn. Supraorbital cirrus present, fringed. Interorbital space very deeply con- cave, its width about 2 length of eye; a fringed cirrus above the eye; distance from supraocular spine tonuchal scales about 4 the eye; occipi- tal as well as nuchal spines distinct; temporal ridge with a small spine; no spine on cheek bone; bones of the head with fine, sharply defined strie, but no granulations; upper opercular spine well developed; Jordan and Evermann.—Fishes of North America, 2151 scales moderate (about 50 pores). D. VIII-13; ~ “2s oat tke Ny ote, ZF FRO AEM: ee Ne eee att Sh i See 4 q “ny 4 hee See mr r ee * : == %, . “MOOSE 3 9088 01421