NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 261 



front ; behind but not contiguous are two hexagonal ones, elevated in the 

 middle and with granulated rays ; still further behind, and in front of the 

 ventral furrow, is a fourth almost plain and transverse smaller plate. On 

 each side of the mesial row are five others ; the first meets the corresponding 

 one on the opposite side, and is interposed between the first and second me- 

 dian plates ; the fifth is smaller, and its angle only extends to the anterior 

 angle of the ventral furrow ; granulated rays diverge from or near the pos- 

 terior borders. 



The first dorsal fin commences behind the fourth pair of dorsal plates ; it is 

 oblong and placed between seven pairs of plates ; its fourth, fifth and sixth 

 spines are longest, and equal four-tenths (40-100) of the head's length ; its first 

 three gradually increase, and its last three decrease ; all are slender. 



The second dorsal is separated from the first by three pairs of plates and is 

 placed between six ; it has seven rays, all of whicli are articulated ; the mar- 

 gin is decurved backwards ; the longest ray exceeds that of the first dorsal, 

 and the shortest is less than half. 



The anal fin commences at a vertical drawn midway between the two dor- 

 sals, and has eight rays, each ray corresponding to a plate ; all are simple and 

 articulated ; the third and fourth are longest, and equal four-tenths (40-100) 

 of the head's ; the first two rapidly increase. The margin behind is much 

 decurved, the last ray having only a third of the length of the longest. 



The pectoral fins are well developed, and reach behind to the vertical of the 

 last dorsal spine ; the angles are rounded ; each fin has fourteen simply ar- 

 ticulated rays. 



The ventral fins are closely approximated and received in a lanceolate far- 

 row ; each has a short spine and articulated rays, the external of which is 

 longest, and exceeds three-tenths of the head's length. 



The anus appears to be between the fifth pair of plates behind the pectoral 

 fins, and at the end of the ventral furrow. 



The number of rays is as follows : 



D. IX. 7- A. 8. P. 14. V. I. 2. 



The color in alcohol is yellowish or reddish brown, with a darker margin on 

 each plate. The rays of the pectoral fins were apparently banded at their base. 



A single specimen of this most interesting fish was obtained at Simeahmoo 

 by Dr. Kennerly. It is unfortunately in a very poor state of preservation, 

 the head being much injured and partly fallen to pieces, the caudal fin and 

 part of the peduncle lost, and the ventral fins have fallen out. Most of the 

 parts of the head and the ventral fins are, however, preserve! in the same 

 bottle, and I have been thus enabled to'render a sufficiently detailed and exact 

 description. The specimen was probably about seven or eight inches long. 



Description of a new generic type of BLENN0IDS. 



BY THEODORE GILL. 



The present species was discovered by Dr. Kennerly, the Naturalist of the 

 North Western Boundary Survey, in the waters of Washington Territory, an I 

 will be illustrated in the forthcoming Report on the Fishes of the western 

 coast of North America. 



Genus ANOPLARCHUS Gill. 



Body much elongated and compressed, with its height subequal. Scale8 

 very small and imbedded in the skin. Lateral lines and mucous pores ab- 

 sent or rudimentary. Head small, compressed and suboval. Snout convex. 

 Eyes small. Mouth oblique and lateral. Teeth uniserial in each jaw, and 

 of nearly uniform size. Palate edentulous. Branchial apertures separated 

 by a moderate isthmus. Branchiostegal membrane with an acute emargina- 



1861.] 



