PEECOMOEPHI. 95 



from that and from all the other known species of the genus in the small 

 number of the radii of its anal fin. It agrees with P. serrata in the small 

 number of the rays of the second dorsal. It is a smaller species than the 

 P. serrata, being intermediate in size between it and the P. pealei. It is 

 especially marked by the long, acute serrse of the entire posterior and infe- 

 rior margins of the pi-eoperculum. The operculum, suboperculum, and 

 cheek are scaled ; the preoperculum is naked. 



Formula: Br. VIII; D. X— 11; V. 1—5; A. Ill— 8 ; Vert. D. 10; 

 Gaud. 14. The form is an elongate oval, rather more elongate than any 

 other species of the genus. The mouth is terminal and the front gently 

 convex and descending. The length of the head enters the total, less the 

 caudal fin, two and a half times, and the greatest depth is half of the same. 

 The dorsal spines are long and strong, the longest equaling the soft rays in 

 length. The anal spines are very robust, the second or longest not equaling 

 the longest soft rays of the same fin. The origin of the first spine is below 

 the first ray of the soft dorsal. There are three long and one short inter- 

 neural bones in front of the dorsal fin. The origin of the ventral is below 

 the third (or fourth) dorsal spine. The vertebrae have two fossse on each 

 side, separated by a ridge. The jaws are edentulous. The scales are small 

 and the specimens very well preserved. 



In the largest specimen, I count, in a vertical line drawn from the first 

 dorsal soft ray to the middle of the abdominal line, fifteen longitudinal rows 

 of scales above, and twenty -five below, the vertebral column. On the opercu- 

 lar flap of a smaller, the typical specimen, I count nine vertical and fourteen 



transverse rows of scales. 



Measurements. 



M. 



Length of type-specimeu 137 



Lengtli to base of caudal fin = 109 



Lengtli to apex of first interhsemal 067 



Length of head 040 



Length of third dorsal spine 024 



Length of second anal spine 018 



Length of pectoral spine — 019 



Depth at first dorsal spine 050 



Depth at first anal spine 041 



Depth of caudal peduncle 019 



The lateral line is visible in the largest specimen. It extends parallel 

 to the dorsal border, marking at its greatest convexity less than one-third 



