DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 469 



pressed spiue; bebiud this on the snout another short spine. A short spine on the cheek 

 bone. Anterior nostril in a tnbe which is produced posteriorly into a little flap; posterior 

 nostril in a large shorter tube. The preopercular spine, also, has a short spine at its Ijase. 

 Preocular and supraocular spines present. A pair of postocular spines on each side, one in 

 front of the other. A pair of blunt spines on the occiput and another pair on the nape. 

 Length of opercular spine, measured back to the edge of the preopercle, equals the length 

 of the jtostorbital part of the head. Humeral spine well developed, its length nearly equal 

 to that of the i)reocular. The maxilla does not reach to the front of the eye, its length (14 

 millimeters) being equal to the postorbital part of the head. The mandible reaches about to 

 the vertical from the front of the eye; its length (IS millimeters) nearly one-half the length 

 of the head. Teeth in nairow villiforni bands in the jaws and on the vomer and palate. 

 Eight developed gill rakers on the anterior arch. The longest about one-third as long as the 

 eye; five rudiments below and two above the developed rakers of the anterior arch; these 

 are mere tubercles scarcely raised above the general surface. The length of the eye (9 milli- 

 meters) is one-half the length of the snout and nearly one-fourth the length of the head. 

 The snout (18 niillinieters) is equal to twice the length of the eye and equals the length of 

 the mandible. The distance of the dorsal from the ti'i) of the snont (4L' milliineters) is a little 

 greater than the length of tiie head. The length of the base of the spinous dorsal (26 

 millimeters) nearly three times the length ot the eye. The first spine is serrated on its 

 anterior margin for the greater portion of its height; it is nearly as long as the second, its 

 length (10 millimeters) is two-fifths the length of the head; the third spiue is the longest, Its 

 length (20 millimeters) is one-half the length of the head. The last two spines are very 

 small. Tlie third spine, also, is serrated along its anterior margin for the greater portion of 

 its height. There is a very slight interspace between the two dorsals. The length of the 

 first ray of the soft dorsal (IC millimeters) etpials that of the second spine of the dorsal; the 

 length of the last ray (13 millimeters) equals one-half of the length of the spinous dorsal 

 base. The length of the middle caudal rays (27 inillinieters) equals three times the length of 

 the eye. The caudal is slightly euiarginate. The origin of the anal is immediately under 

 the origin of the .soft dorsal. The length of the anal base (32 nnllimeters) is one-half the 

 distance of the anal from the tip of the snout. The spine is only about two-thirds as long 

 as the first ray ; its length (7 millimeters) is one-half the length of the maxilla. The length 

 of the longest anal ray (12 millimeters) is one-half the length of the spinous dorsal base. 

 The ventral extends to the Origin of the anal; its length {'■V^ millimeters) e(|ual to the anal 

 base. The pectoral when extended reaches to the line connecting the fifth ray of the dorsal 

 with the sixth ray of the anal. This fin is emarginate behind; its longest ray is slightly 

 longer than the head and more than twice as long as th(^ longest dorsal spine. 



Radial formula: D. x, 12; A. I, 10; P. 13 -f 3; V. 1,5. 



The type of the description is a specimen 112 inillimeters long to base of caudal. Its 

 catalogue number is 39318, from statiiui 2120, steamer ^?t((0-«s.s-, N. lat., 11° 07' W. Ion., 

 02° 14' 30", from 73 fathoms, otf Trinidad. 



Seven rows of scales between the lateral line and origin of the second dorsal; 19 rows 

 between latvral line and origin of anal ; 50 pores m the lattMal line, and about 93 oblique rows 

 of scales can be counted. Scales on the breast conspicuously smaller than the others. 



Colors of the alcoholic si)eciuien, light yellowish brown above, lighter below. The spi- 

 nous doisal has a black blotch between the. fourth and fifth spines, its length about two- 

 thirds that of the eye. The membrane connecting the spines of the dorsal with faint 

 dusky shades in several jtlaces. Membrane connecting the last three or four rays of the 

 second dorsal slightly dusky. The pectoral with two broad dark areas, sei)arated and 

 surrounded by lighter. The dark markings on the pectoral do not take the form of bands, 

 and have their greatest length nearly parallel with the axis of the fish. 



