318 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



color; upper half of pectorals dusky; spinous dorsal finely speckled 

 witli black ; upper half of axil brown. Peritoneum pale ; lining of opercle 

 black above. Iris bright yellow, dusky above. 



This species is known to us from three specimens, each about 7 inches 

 in length, taken in the Bay of Panama. It seems to be related to Cor- 

 vina dentex C. & V. and thus to belong to the group called Odontoscion 

 by Professor Gill. Its aflinities with Bairdiella are evident, the devel- 

 opment of small canines in the lower jaAv being the only character dis- 

 tinguishing Odontoscion from Baudiella. 



9. Cynoscion phoxocephalum, sp. nov. (29:296, 29339, 29389, 29724.) 



(SnbgeDus Atractoscion Gill.) 



Body not very elongate, fusiform, little compressed, the greatest thick- 

 ness nearly two- thirds the greatest depth. Back scarcely elevated nor 

 compressed, the profile from the snout to the front of the dorsal nearly 

 straight. 



Head conical, little comi^ressed, pointed in profile, tapering with much 

 regularity toward the tip of the projecting lower jaw; length of man- 

 dible more than half that of head. Mouth large, very oblique, the pre- 

 maxillary in front on the level of the upper part of the orbit, the broad 

 maxillary extending to below the posterior margin of the eye, 2 in head. 



Teeth in narrow, cardiform bands in each jaw, the bands composed of 

 about 2 series in front, growing narrow laterally, and finally forming a 

 single series. Teeth subequal, with the exception of about two pairs in 

 the front of the upper jaw, the posterior pair being developed as small 

 canines directed inward and backward. In the smaller si^ecimens the 

 canines are proportionately larger than in the adult, but in all they are 

 smaller than is usual in Oynoseion. 



Eye rather small, 7^ in head, a little less than half the length of the 

 snout, a little more than half the breadth of the evenly convex inter- 

 orbital space, which is 3| in head, (jrill-rakers few, thickish, and very 

 short, shorter than the pupil. Pseudobranchite quite small. 



Scales of lower part of cheeks enlarged, imbedded, covered with sil- 

 very skin. Scales above eyes on impe and on border of preopercle much 

 reduced in size. Preopercle, as in all species of tliis genus, entire, with a 

 broad membranaceous border. 



Scales on body small and smooth. Lateral line scarcely arched in 

 front, becoming straight opposite front of anal. 



Dorsal fins entirely separate, the spines of the first dorsal slender. 

 Second spine shorter than third and fourth, which are considerably ele- 

 vated. If in length of head in the young, 2i in the adult. Second dorsal 

 of moderate height, enveloped in lax scaleless skin, which is thickened 

 at the base of the fin; longest rays a little more than one-third length 

 of head. Anal rather long and low, its longest rays about equal to the 

 length of the base, and a little more than one-third length of head. Anal 

 si)iues very small and weak, wholly enveloped in the skin and not visi- 



