166 BULLETIN OF THE 



/' 



Peristedium longispatha, n. sp. 

 LViii. Off Santa Cruz. 314 fathoms. 



Body high anteriorly, its greatest height (39 mm.) contained 4^ times in 

 total length. The length of the head, without prolongations, is contained 2^ 

 times in the total length ; with prolongations, 2 times. The crown of the 

 Lead is flat, separated from the nuchal plate by a deep furrow, which is convex 

 forwartl. The interorbital space is deeply concave, the supraorbital margins 

 being swollen ; its width (16 mm.) equal to the long diameter of the orbit. 

 No protuberance on the forehead, which is much depressed, its outline descend- 

 ing abruptly and rapidly in front of the eyes. A ridge, but no spine, beneath 

 the eye. The length of the snout (49 mm.), including the preorbital extension, 

 is more than half the length of the head; the preorbital extension equals 

 about half the length of the snout. The processes are flat, rounded anteriorly, 

 and covered with minute granulations ; they diverge considerably, the distance 

 of the tips apart (36 mm.) being nearly twice that at their bases (19 mm.)- 

 A ridge arises at the base of the preorbital process and extends to the angle 

 of the preoperculum, and its width at the angle (8 mm.) is contained twice 

 in the diameter of the orbit A narrow inconspicuous and interrupted ridge 

 helow. A ridge on the operculum, ending in a sharp spine at the angle ; its 

 length is equal to the diameter of the eye. 



The jaws are feeble, toothless ; the lower jaw with 2 long, much fringed 

 barbels, and 14 shorter ones. The length of the long barbels (32 mm.) twice 

 the diameter of the eye. 



The maxilla does not quite reach tne vertical through the anterior margin of 

 the eye. The diameter of the eye (16 mm.) is contained four times in the 

 length of the head without its prolongations. The greatest width of the head 

 over the preopercular ridge (61 mm.) is contained three times in the total 

 length. 



The dorsal origin is directly in a line with the upper angle of the gill-open- 

 ing. The longest spine (18 mm.) slightly longer than the width of interorbital 

 space. The fin has 8 -j- 19 rays. 



The anal origin is under that of the second dorsal. The fin has 19 rays. 

 Caudal small, slightly emarginate, the length of its middle rays (23 mm.) 

 equals 1^ times the diameter of the eye. 



Ventrals slightly in advance of the pectorals and extending farther back, 

 reaching slightly beyond vent, and to vertical through seventh row of scales. 



Pectoral short, extending to vertical from fifth scale of the lateral line, the 

 longest detached ray to the sixth. Twenty-nine rows of scales. 



Color in life, bright roseate ; a black blotch ne&r the tip of the pectoral. 

 Dorsal with narrow dark margin ; tip of caudal black. 



The elongation of the preorbital' extension is noticeable in the smallest 

 examples. 



