16 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1880. 



Soft dorsal continuous with the spinous portion, and almost 

 equal in height throughout, the last ray excepted. Last ray 

 much shorter than the others. Height of soft dorsal, in front 

 5|— If times in the total length ; man}^ of the rays simple, some 

 slightly bifurcate at the tip, the two or three last ra^'S twice 

 branched. 



Anal commencing under fifth dorsal ray, its length about | of 

 that of the dorsal, with which it is coterminous. Anal spines very 

 small, closely adpressed to the first ra3s ; rajs similar and about 

 equal in length to those of the dorsal, the last much shorter than 

 the others. Pectoral lanceolate, the seventh ray longest, the rays 

 decreasing rapidly on each side, the lowest scarcely one-fifth as 

 long as the seventh. Length to tip of longest ray ly-H ^^ ^^^^ 

 of the head. Most of the rays twice branched, tip of the longest 

 reaching a little bej'ond the anus. Base of pectoral slightl}' 

 oblique. 



Veutrals inserted under the hinder margin of the pectoral base, 

 their tips not reaching to the anus ; their length about f that of 

 the pectoral ; the last four raj'S twice bifurcate. 



Caudal about one-sixth of the total length, with numerous acces- 

 sory rays, causing a widening of the caudal base ; principal rays 

 three times forked ; hinder border deeply and triangularly emar- 

 ginate, almost forked. 



Lateral line indistinct, tubes simple; about 145 scales in its 

 length, parallel or nearly so with the dorsal outline. 



About forty scales between the ventrals and the lateral line, and 

 thirteen above the latter. Scales of body almost rectangular, their 

 longitudinal exceeding the transverse diameter, the free margin 

 finely ctenoid. All the scales small, those of the abdomen rather 

 smaller than the others, especially front of the paired fins. 



Scales extending upon the cheeks and opercular apparatus, but 

 the snout and forehead to above the centre of the eyes, the upper 

 border of the orbits ; preopercular margin, jaws and gill-membrane 

 scaleless. 



No scales ujion dorsal or anal ; caudal covered with small scales 

 over the greater portion of its surface. Pectorals more or less 

 scaly exteriorly near the base, the scales extending farther between 

 the central than between the lateral rays. 



Color leaden-gray, becoming darker above, but fading to a dirty 

 creamy-white below. Vertical fins slaty-gray. Dorsal surface of 

 head darker than the rest of the body. 



