252 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP 



tubercle. The fourth dorsal spine equals a tenth of the total length and is a 

 quarter longer than the ninth, which is shorter than the tenth. The second 

 anal spine is strongest and rather larger than the ninth dorsal one. The cau- 

 dal is nearly truncate when expanded, and forms a fifth of the total length. 

 The pectoral and ventral fins are equal, and contained about five times and a 

 half in the length. 



D. X. 13-14. A.III. 8. 



7 

 Scales 48 . 

 18 

 The color is purplish brown, lighter at the centres of the scales, and with 

 nine faint vertical bands, the second under the front of the dorsal, the sixth 

 under the union of the spinous and soft parts, and the last behind the dorsal. 

 The margin of the dorsal and caudal is dark. The front of the soft anal near 

 the angle white ; the base of the pectoral dark. 



Subfamily HOPLOPAGRIN^ Gill. 



Genus Hoplopagbus Gill. 

 Proc. Academy of Nat. Sciences of Phila., 1861, p. 78. ""* ' 



Body oblong-ovate, compressed, with the caudal peduncle short, covered 

 with moderate or rather large oblique scales, similar to those of the typical 

 Sparoids and arranged in longitudinal rows parallel with the lateral line. 

 Head moderate, with the profile not much arched but declining rapidly down- 

 wards. The operculum and suboperculum are covered with large scales ; the 

 cheeks with about five rows of scales ; the limb of the preoperculum naked. 

 The preorbital bone is very high, and its hinder margin concealed. The pre- 

 operculum is notched above its angle for the reception of a knob of the inter- 

 opercular bone. Its ascending margin and angle are finely pectinated, as is 

 al?o the suprascapular bone. The operculum is obtusely biangulated behind. 

 Mouth of normal size; the ascending branches of the intermaxillaries are 

 shorter than the horizontal ones. Teeth on the jaws and front of the vomer ; 

 there are four robust but blunt canines in each jaw, near the symphisis in au 

 anterior row ; another row of obtusely conical ones, behind in which, in the 

 upper jaw, is at least one row of smaller molar or fusiform ones. Behind the 

 row of conical ones of the lower jaw, there is, on each side of the median line, 

 about one molar. There are also about three short and obtusely conical molars 

 on the front of the vomer. Nostrils distant; the posterior are elongated oval 

 slits in front of the eyes; the anterior are tubular and situated at the anterior 

 margin of the snout. Branchiostegal rays five on each side. Dorsal fin with 

 a deep notch between its spinous and soft portions ; the anterior part with ten 

 spines. Anal fin wth three moderate but stout spines, the second of which is 

 largest. Caudal fin emarginated. Pectoral fins subfalcate and acuminate. 

 Ventral fins acuminate, with its axillar scales well developed. 



The species for which we have framed the genus above described, is one of 

 the most interesting that has been for some time made known. It furnishes 

 additional evidence of the slight value of the presence or absence of teeth on 

 the palatine arch as a character for distinguishing families, and at the same 

 time it confirms the propriety of approximating the Sparoids and the Percoids, 

 or at least the Lotjaninae. 



At first sight the observer would be inclined to refer the type of the new 

 group to the genus Diacope of Cuvier, or Genyoroge of Cantor, or to Mesoprion 

 of Cuvier. There is indeed no essential difference in external form or appear- 

 ance between those several genera. There is the same nudity of the superior 

 surface of the head and preorbital region : the same sinus above the angle of 

 the preoperculum, and the corresponding knob of the interoperculum ; the same 

 serration of the preoperculum and suprascapular ; the same two blunt spinous 



[May, 



