1905.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 509 



trils same distance apart, each with a cutaneous margin and directly 

 in front of eye. Interorbital space rather broad and flattened. Ridges 

 on top of head distinct, especially parietal. Nuchal bony knob-like 

 processes, one on each side of each parietal ridge large and distinct. 

 Just anterior to nuchal knob a smaller parietal knob on each side. 

 Tympanic knob small and inconspicuous. Two preorbital spines, 

 lower much larger. Five spinous processes along margin of preopercle, 

 vipper 2, which are near its angle, enlarged and conspicuous. On ridge 

 of preopercle 2 small blunt spinous processes and another on cheek 

 just below eye. Opercular spines 2 and superior. Articular portion 

 of mandible large. 



Gill-opening lateral, large, and carried forward about an eye-diameter 

 posterior to posterior margin of eye. Rakers about 10 small rounded 

 knobs, low, and much less than eye, on first arch. Filaments about 

 half of interorbital space. Pseud obranchite of several filaments. 

 Width of isthmus a trifle more than interorbital space. 



Body scaleless, and skin smooth, anteriorly and above, and together 

 with most of head, covered with minute papillfp. In a lateral series 

 close to and concurrent with upper profile a series of 10 short bony 

 pricks following course of lateral line. Small papilla? also on spinous 

 dorsal where they form oblique crossing series. 



Spinous dorsal with long base, spines pungent, heteracanthous and, 

 with exception of first two, of more or less equal height. Origin of 

 spinous dorsal a little before base of uppermost pectoral ray. Each 

 dorsal spine with a more or less cutaneous or adipose-like flexible tip. 

 Anal spines similar, fourth longest. Origin of spinous anal about mid- 

 way between base of lowest pectoral ray and base of caudal. Mem- 

 branes of both spinous dorsal and anal emarginate. Rayed vertical 

 fins with simple rays. Origin of soft dorsal about last fourth in length 

 of head and trunk. Origin of rayed anal slightly before. Third dorsal 

 ray longest and others graduated down, edge of fin rounded. Third 

 anal ray longest, others more or less subequal. Caudal rounded and 

 rather oblong. Pectoral large, broadly expanded, of simple rays, and 

 base of lowest ray about last third in length of head. Ventral with 

 broad base united by membrane with belly, and base of spine opposite 

 to base of lowest pectoral ray. Spine robust and with fleshy end. 

 Second ventral ray longest. Vent close in front of anal. 



Color in alcohol pale brown, lower surface scarcely paler. Head 

 finely mottled or marbled with darker brown, and back and sides with 

 numerous large deep brownish blotches. Fins also similarly marked 

 and colored. Soft dorsal, anal and caudal with conspicuous white and 



