I 



NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 365 



Description of a new species of Astroscopus, Brev., in the Museum of the 

 Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 



BY CHARLES C. ABBOTT. 



Astroscopus guttatus Abbott. Plate VII. 



Spec. Char. Body depressed anteriorly. Head flattened ab >ve. Two sub- 

 quadrangular depressions posterior to the orbits. Eyes prominent, situated 

 in circular depressions, and five and a half diameters distant. The base of 

 the two dorsals equals in length the distance from the anterior insertion of 

 the first dorsal to the extremity of the upper jaw. Opercular apparatus large, 

 the branchial aperture unusually wide ; the opercle marked with distinct 

 radiating striae, and margined below with a smooth, thick and semi-transparent 

 membrane, which extends beyond the insertion of the pectoral fin. The in- 

 sertion of the ventral fins is opposite the margin of the preopercle and greatly 

 anterior to the insertion of the pectorals. The insertion of the anal fin is 

 slightly posterior to the anterior insertion of the second dorsal, and extends 

 nearer the base of the caudal than that fin. 



2 



D, 414. V, 5. P, 16. A, 13. C, 12 - 



2 



Color. In the alcoholic specimen. Back, upper portion of the cheeks, up- 

 per part of cranium, and upper jaw, bright chocolate ; lighter on the head 

 than body, and the depressions on the upper surface of the head very pale. 

 Belly and throat pure white. The chocolate tinted surfaces are minutely 

 covered with numerous circular spots or guttse, of the same tint, but several 

 shades lighter. The membrane of the first dorsal black ; and the second dor- 

 sal has three irregular bands of dull black, obliquely across it. The caudal 

 with three parallel bands of blackish-brown, the middle of which a2Jpears to 

 be the continuation of a variable longitudinal band on the centre of each side. 

 The anal has a variable band of dull brown, darker upon the posterior termi- 

 nation. 



Locality. Cape May, New Jersey. Beesley's Point ? 



Description of a new species of Chatoessus, Ctiv., from New Jersey. 

 BY CHARLES C. ABBOTT. 



Chatoessus insociabilis Abbott. 



Spec. Char. Body compressed, sub-elliptical ; dorsal outline greatly arched 

 anteriorly to the dorsal flu, slightly and obliquely curved posteriorly. Ven- 

 tral outline regularly curved from posterior insertion of the anal fin to the 

 throat. Abdomen compressed, carinate and serrated. The head is very 

 small ; the breadth anterior to the angle of the opercle six-sevenths of the 

 length from occiput to the extremity of the snout. Snout globose ; upper lip 

 fleshy, longer than the lower, which is membraneous. The angle of the jaws 

 in a line with the centre of the orbits. Margin of opercle membraneous, 

 coarsely serrated ; margin of preopercle, membraneous and circular. 



Dorsal fin quadrangular, the posterior ray prolonged ; pectoral fin rounded, 

 reaching beyond the base of the ventral fin ; ventral fin equal in width to its 

 length and reaching a slight distance beyond the posterior insertion of the 

 dorsal fin ; caudal fin forked. The number of the fin rays are, 



D, 14. P, 16. V, 8. A, 32. C, 28, sometimes 29. 



Color. Back and upper third of the sides deep green, with a bluish cast in 

 particular lights ; lower two-thirds of the sides and the belly pure white. 

 The deep green above and white beneath, meet abruptly, and do not blend to- 



I860.] 



