NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 87 



The spinous dorsal commences above the posterior margin of the scapular 

 bone ; its first spine equals the eye's diameter ( - 10), and the third is a half 

 longer ( - 15). The second dorsal at its longest rays rather exceeds an eighth 

 (=13) of the total length ; it ends over the twenty-fifth scale of the lateral 

 line. The anal fin is somewhat larger than the second dorsal ; the third 

 spine is very large, its length entering nearly five times and a half ( - 18) in the 

 total. The caudal fin forms more than a fifth (-21) of the length, while the 

 median rays only equal a tenth. 



The pectoral and ventral fins are equally long, and rather less than a fifth 

 (19) of length. 



D. XI. 1. 12. A. IV. 9. 

 3 



Scales 35 

 7 

 The color is steel, thickly sprinkled with dark dots, which become less nu- 

 merous downwards. The fins are dark ; the dorsal lighter at the anterior 

 half at the base between the spines. The suborbital chain is bright silvery 

 and immaculate. 



Genus MYRIOPRISTIS Cuv. 

 Myriopristis occidentalis Gill. 



The height of the body equals 28-100 of the extreme length, while the 

 head forms 3-10 of the same. The snout is much decurved, and, from the 

 apex to the eye, equals nearly half the diameter of the orbit and a fifth of the 

 head's length. The pectoral fin equals a sixth of the extreme length, and the 

 ventral enters 7J times in the same. The caudal forms a fifth of the whole 

 length. 



D. X. 1.13. A. IV. 11. 

 3 



Scales 3536 



7 



Color on the upper half reddish-purple merging into silvery below, punctu- 

 lated with blackish, especially where the longitudinal rows overlap each other. 

 The fins are immaculate, except a linear border which sometimes margins 

 the spinous dorsal. 



Numerous specimens were obtained by Mr. Xantus at Cape St. Lucas. 



RHAMPHOBERYX Gill. 



This genus is very closely related to Rhinoberyx, but has considerably small- 

 3 

 er scales (34-36-) and entire rostro-frontal carinas, the spine at the angle of 



7 

 the preoperculum is not essentially enlarged, but simply formg the angle at 

 the preoperculum. 



RHAMPHOBERYX PC3CIL0PUS Gill. 



- The height of the body equals nearly three-tenths (*29) of the extreme 

 length, and the head forms 27-100 of the same. The snout is blunt, but con- 

 siderably produced and forms about a fifth of the head's length ; the diameter 

 of the orbit is contained three times in the head. The pectoral and ventral 

 fins are equally long, rather exceed a sixth of the extreme length, and nearly 

 equal the caudal fin. 



D. X. 1. 14. A. IV. 11. 



3 

 Scales 3536 



7 

 The color above the lateral line is olive green, golden green below, and 



1863.] 



