184 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



agonal series ; these two scales are pentangular. The scales of the dorsal row 

 increase in width from the third to the sixth ; the third is small, triangular ; 

 the fourth, rounded posteriorly and slightly curved on the four other sides ; 

 the fifth becomes emarginate posteriorly, convex on the two contiguous sides, 

 and overlapped antero-laterally by the adjoining scales of the next anterior 

 diagonal series ; the sixth exhibits the same form with a greater transverse 

 diameter ; the seventh is small again, and the width gradually increases to 

 the tenth ; the eleventh in turn is small, and the size increases to the six- 

 teenth, beyond which the size is rather variable. From the sixth to the 

 twenty-second, the general form of the sixth is preserved, with a tendency to 

 become less and less emarginate, and more elongate longitudinally. The lat- 

 eral scales are rhomboidal, those which lie along the lateral line having the 

 dimension which coincides with the direction of the diagonal series one and 

 one-third times the other dimension. The longer sides are nearly straight ; 

 the shorter, sigmoidally curved by lines which first bend downwards and 

 then upwards. This form of the scales is shown to some extent by nine or 

 more lateral rows on each side. Generally, the scales nearer the head are less 

 angulated behind ; while those toward the other extremity are more drawn 

 out. The surfaces of the scales, where not worn, are rough to the touch ; 

 and under a magnifier, and even to the naked eye, are seen to be covered 

 with fine granules. The first diagonal series is sculptured by vermicular, in- 

 tersecting furrows, which show a tendency to radiate from the central area. 

 Similar sculpturing can be traced on the sides, as far back as the sixth series. 



Head one fourth the total length of the fish, lanceolate in outline, laterally 

 tapering, with slight curvature from the hinder border of the openula to the 

 extremity of the trumately rounded snout. Eyes large, situated less than 

 the diameter of the orbit behind the extremity of the lower jaw. Projection 

 of the upper jaw beyond the lower, equal to the distance between the nos- 

 trils, which, opening upwards, in oval apertures, are situated half the same 

 distance behind the tip of the snout. Lower jaw a little more than half the 

 whole length of the head. Angle of the mouth midway between the tip of 

 the snout and the hinder margin of the operculum. Each ramus of the jaw 

 presenting below a flat surface, with parallel borders extending directly back 

 for a short distance, and then slightly arching outwards ; on its lateral surface 

 regularly increasing in vertical width to the small "angular piece ;" through 

 half its whole length projecting laterally beyond the maxillary ; furnished 

 with a principal row of strong conical teeth slightly bent backwards and in- 

 wards ; the lips furnished with a smaller Sf-t, aud the internal surface clothed 

 with a multitude of dentelets. The principal and labial teeth of the maxil- 

 lary and intermaxillary are similar to those of the lower jaw; the palatines 

 are set with numerous fine teeth. The top of the head is somewhat flattened, 

 becoming decidedly so on the snout. The suture bounding externally the 

 frontal and parietal bones is a distinct, deep furrow, gently deflected outward 

 at the base of the maxillary, behind which is a deep supra-orbital emargina- 

 tion of the frontal, which thence continues to widen regularly to its junction 

 with the parietal. Opercular semicircular behind, nearly straight in front ; 

 interopercular lanceolate, widening backwards, somewhat pointed in front, 

 abruptly round-cuneate behind, with a triangular projection between the 

 opercular and preopercular. Occiput regularly concave behind, except a 

 backward swell in the middle. Whole surface of the head handsomely sculp- 

 tured, the vertex rather deeply so ; on the snout and the sides and base of the 

 head the embossed lines tend to become broken into granules. 



Pectoral fins separated from the operculum by a single diagonal series of 

 scales ; the ventral fins midway between the extremities, situated on the di- 

 agonal series which embraces the 17th scale in the dorsal row ; anal fin a lit- 

 tle more than its width from the caudal, interrupting the 38th 42d diagonal 

 series of scales ; dorsal fin of the same width as the anal, and situated so that 

 the la?t three rays fall in the rear of it ; pectoral fins narrow, sharply rounded 



[Aug, 



