FISHES. MCCULLOCII. 193 



preorbital bone and mandible; they are prominent on 

 the preoperculum and are associated with short tubes 

 which open on the extreme margin of the bone and form 

 several small angles. Anterior nostril in a short tube, 

 the posterior a simple opening close to the eye. Maxillary 

 reaching backward to below the anterior third of the eye. 

 Large cycloid scales cover the head, extending forward 

 to the interorbital space above, and onto the inter- 

 operculum beloAv ; they are arranged in three rows on 

 the cheeks. 



Upper jaw with several curved canines anteriorly, 

 and a rather broad inner band of minute teeth ; this 

 becomes narrower on each side, where also there is an 

 outer row of somewhat enlarged teeth. Mandible with 

 several canines and an inner band of minute teeth 

 interiorly, and a single row of small conical teeeth on 

 each side. An angular row of microscopic teeth on the 

 vomer, and some on the anterior part of each palatine 

 bone. 



Scales of the body rather large and finely ctenoid 

 except on the nuchal region and breast where they are 

 cycloid. They extend onto the caudal fin, but leave all 

 the other fins naked. The lateral line rises abruptly 

 from the shoulder and extends backward parallel with 

 the back to below the seventeenth dorsal ray. The tubes 

 are short and simple and do not reach the edge of the 

 scale. Three rows of scales separate the anterior and 

 posterior portions of the lateral line, which latter extends 

 along the middle of each side of the caudal peduncle; 

 each of its scales has a small median notch, and the tubes 

 are more slender than those of the other portion and 

 extend right across the scale. 



Dorsal spines very weak, the first scarcely discern- 

 ible, the third much shorter than the anterior ray. All 

 the rays are branched and they increase in length to the 

 twentieth. The margin of the fin is almost straight, 

 rounded posteriorly, and the posterior ray is divided to 

 its base. Anal similar in construction to the dorsal, its 

 first spine obsolete. Pectoral fin broadly rounded, the 

 median rays longest. Ventrals inserted in advance of 

 the vertical of the first dorsal spine; the second and 

 third rays are longest, and their tips form a sharp 

 angle. Caudal rounded, with rows of scales covering the 

 membrane between its rays. 



