BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 319 



ble. Aual fin nearly coterminous with the dorsal, its rays similarly 

 enveloped in loose skin. Caudal fin moderate, thickish and scaly at 

 base, lunate, its lobes equal, the middle rays If in length of head. Ven- 

 trals short, about half length of head, reaching about one-third the 

 distance to the vent. Pectorals short, not reaching tips of ventrals, 2 

 in head. Distance from vent to base of caudal about two-fifths its dis- 

 tance from snout. 



Head 3^ in length; depth 4^. D. IX-I, 21; A. 11, 30; Lat. 1. 00 (series 

 of scales, the number of pores in the lateral line somewhat less); 17 

 scales in an oblique series from first dorsal spine to lateral line. 



Color in life, dark above with strong bright reflections of purplish- 

 brown ; silvery below, the lower part of the caudal peduncle golden yel- 

 low. Middle of sides noticeably i^unctulate with brown dots; inside of 

 mouth deep orange yellow; lining of opercle black. Dorsal and caudal 

 fins dnsky whitish, with more or less of dark edging; lower rays of 

 caudal yellowish ; fins otherwise translucent, unmarked. Axil of pec- 

 toral light brownish above. The silvery color of the sides of the head 

 and the bright reflections on its upper surface are very conspicuous, 

 more so than in any other species of the genus. 



Four specimens, the largest (No. 29295) IGi inches in length, were 

 obtained at Panama. This species is readily distinguishable from all 

 others of the genus found in the Pacific Ocean, by the peculiar, tapering 

 head. 



The species of Cynoscion known from the Pacific coast of tropical 

 America may be compared as follow s : 



a. Second dorsal and anal scaleless. 



h. Canines of upper jaw large, 2 (or 1) in number; membranes of soft dorsal not 



thickened, 

 c. Back and sides with conspicuous dark reticulations; soft dorsal with '25 to 

 28 rays; maxillary not quite reaching posterior border of 

 eye ; caudal double-truncate ; pectorals about reaching tips 

 of ventrals, rather more than half head; scales 9-73-16 ; 60 



pores in lateral line Eeticulatum.* 



ce. Back and sides nearly plain grayish-silvery ; soft dorsal with 20 to 23 rays. 



d. Caudal iiu double-concave, the middle rays more or less produced; 



anal rays II, 7 to II, 9. 



e. Pectorals reaching nearly or quite to tips of ventrals, their length 



more than half head. 



/. Scales very small (r2-86-x) ; about 70 pores in the lateral line; 



head rather long and pointed ; maxillary a little less than 



half head, reaching just past eye; lateral line becoming 



straight nearly opposite vent XANTiirLUM. 



ff. Scales moderate (8-66-18); 63 pores in lateral line; head 

 large, bluntish ; maxillary nearly half head, reaching well 

 past eye ; lateral line becoming straight at a point con- 

 siderably in advance oi vent Album. t 



* , 



Otolithus reticulaius Giiuther, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1864, 149, Mazatlan (Gilb.); 

 Acapulco {Nichols coll.); San Jos^ de Guatemala (GtAr.); Chiapam ((?//»•. ); Panama 

 (Gilb.). 



i Otolithus alius Giinther, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1864, 149. Chiapam (Gfhr.); Pa- 

 nama {Gthr. Steind. Gilb.). 



