G48 CONTRIBUTIONS TO XOETII AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY iv. 



351. OXYLEBIUS Gill. 



(Gill, Proc. A'-ail. Nat. Sri. Phila. 1862, 277: typ- OxyMriu* pictus Gill.) 



Body oblong, somewhat compressed. Head conical, very slender, 

 acuminate, the profile somewhat concave. Mouth small. Jaws each 

 with a band of teeth, the outer series considerably enlarged; minute 

 teeth on vomer; few or none on palatines. Top of head with dermal 

 tlaps. Preopercle with 2 blunt spines. Gill-membranes broadly con- 

 nected, free from the isthmus; gill-rakers short, not very stout. Scales 

 small, ctenoid. A single lateral line. Dorsal flu emarginate, with about 

 10 low, rather strong spines; soft dorsal moderate, its membrane closely 

 scaled: anal with 3 stout spines, the second the longest; caudal trun- 

 cate; pectorals rather long, their bases not procurrent; ventrals moder- 

 ate, inserted well behind pectorals. Pyloric coeca few. -Small fishes, of 

 blight coloration. (u?, sharp; ;.c,5jc Lebius, an old synonym of llr.i - 

 nDHHN, I'rom /;,?:?, a kind of small fish suitable to be cooked in 

 tfa, a kettle.) 



10O1. O. pictus Gill. 



Tawny grayish, with about C black bars, alternating with areas of 

 pale orange, the latter obscured by dusky spots and blotches; the dark 

 bars extending on the fins, the first across the nape, the second across 

 the middle of the spiuous dorsal, the third broader, across posterior part 

 of spinous dorsal and front of anal ; one across middle of soft dorsal, one 

 in posterior part, and one at base of caudal; the bars are about as wide. 

 as the interspaces, and their edges are irregular, but sharply defined; 

 pectorals and caudal orange, with cross-series of spots; ventrals largely 

 black; under side of head orange, freckled, spotted with pale; U fringed 

 cirri over each eye, scarlet; breast and belly marbled. Body rather deep, 

 compressed. Head little compressed, slender, pointed; lips thick; lower 

 jaw slightly included; maxillary small, barely reaching eye. Kves large, 

 about equal to snout, \ in head; nasal spines present ; inlerocular space 

 narrow. Scales on sides of head \ cry small; scales on body small, 

 ctenoid, with strong horizontal stria-, those on breast minute. Dorsal 

 liu continuous, its spines still', the middle ones highest, and all con- 

 siderably lo\\er than the soft ra.\s; second anal spine longer than the 

 third, about equal to the soft rays; pectorals barely reaching anal; 

 ventrals to past vent. Mead 3Jj depth \\\. I). XYI-i:>; A. Ill, i:J. 

 L. 10 inches. Korky shores, from Monterc\ northward; rare. A most 

 beautiful and active little fish. 



(Gill, Pi'oc. Aca.l. Nat. Sri. j'hila. lirC'J, 277.) 



