BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 317 



8. Odontoscion archidium, sp. nov. (29266, 29480, 29518.) 



Head aud body rather elongate, considerably compressed ; back not 

 elevated, the snout somewhat gibbous, the profile depressed above the 

 eyes. 



Month very large, terminal, oblique, the maxillary reaching vertical 

 from posterior margin of pupil; jaws subequalj premaxillaries in front 

 on the level of lower edge of pnpil; symphysis of lower jaw with an 

 oblong knob, which projects inwards and upwards; on this are two 

 series of teeth, three in each series., the inner pair being canines of 

 moderate size, larger than any of the other teeth, but much smaller and 

 slenderer than the canines in Cynoscion. Both jaws without villiform 

 teeth ; upper jaw with two series of slender pointed teeth, the outer 

 series enlarged. Lower jaw laterally with a single series of teeth simi- 

 lar to those of the outer series of upper jaw, but larger ; those in the 

 middle of the jaw largest. 



Diameter of eye about equal to length of snout, or to interorbital 

 width, and 4J times in length of head. Ijength of maxillary 2J in head. 



Gill-rakers louff and slendtT, 0+13 in number. Pseud obranchife well 

 developed. Posterior nostril a narrow oblong vertical slit. 



Posterior margin of preopercle inclined downward and backward, 

 both margins convex and with the angle broadly rounded. Both mar- 

 gins with weak distinct serrations; posterior border with two or three 

 stronger teeth next the angle directed backwards, the angle with one 

 robust llattish spine directed more or less vertically downwards. 



S[)inous dorsal with very weak, flexible spines, the third the longest 

 and about half length of head ; soft dorsal moderate, the longest ray 

 shorter than the dorsal spines but more than one-third length of head. 

 Caudal fin subtruncate or slightly emarginate. Anal fin very small, 

 posteriorly inserted, its base but little oblique; length of base about 

 equal to length of snout; second anal spine moderate, shorter than the 

 first soft ray; much stronger than the dorsal spines and inflexible, its 

 length about equal to snout and half of eye, 3 in head. Distance from 

 front of anal to middle of base of caudal slightly more than one-fourth 

 the length of the body. Distance from vent to front of anal about equal 

 to length of base of anal. 



Pectoral short, not reaching tips of ventrals, its length If in head. 

 Ventrals reaching half way to front of anal, not nearly to vent. Mem- 

 branes of soft parts of vertical fins with series of scales extending more 

 than half way to the tips. Lateral line scarcely arched, becoming 

 straight opposite front of soft dorsal. 



Head 3 times in length; depth 3^. Dorsal rays XI, 24; Anal II, 8; 

 Lateral line 50 (series of scales) ; 52 j^ores. 



Color lustrous bluish -gray above, silvery below ; middle of sides with 

 indistinct lengthwise streaks formed by clusters of dark dots in the 

 centers of the scales. Snout and tip of lower jaw blackish ; a dark 

 blotch on opercle above; sides of head bright silvery; fins light straw 



