486 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1899. 



which aud for a short distance along the lower margin, it is coarsely 

 serrated, the anterior portion of this lower margin being smooth. 

 The interoperculum is furnished with a small bony protuberance 

 which is opposite the prreopercular notch and into which it does not 

 fit. The operculum terminates in a small pointed flap which 

 extends backward beyond the base of the P. The mouth is 

 furnished with four canines in the front of both jaws, the outer 

 pair of the upper being the largest and the strongest. The poste- 

 rior nares are situated within half an eye diameter of the anterior 

 border of the eye. The profile line of the body from the snout 

 to the origin of the D. appears to be gently concave. The distance 

 between the anterior border of the eye and the first D. spine is 

 equal to the length of the P. The origin of the D. is situated 

 over the tip of the opercular flap, of course falling posterior to 

 that of the P. Spinous D. longer than soft D., the radii x, 14, 

 the spines being strong and sharp, and graduated to the third, 

 which, with the fourth, fifth and sixth, are the longest, being, in 

 fact, longer than any of the soft rays. The scales of the body 

 pass over on to the basal portion of the soft D., covering it ante- 

 riorly for more than one-half its height, though this encroachment 

 gradually diminishes posteriorly so that only a few^ scales are to be 

 seen at the bases of these rays. The scales also pass out over the 

 basal portion of the soft rays of the A. and are distributed in the 

 same manner, though they do not extend out so far as on the soft D. 

 The caudal has its base also scaled, the scales of the caudal pedun- 

 cle passing over to the base of the tail in unbroken series, and 

 even covering the rudimentary ra^'s, for about one-half its length. 

 All these scales which cover the portions of the fins mentioned are 

 much smaller _than any others on any part of the body except a 

 few at the base of the P. P. i, 16, not reaching A., but reaching 

 posteriorly beyond the tips of the Y. The origin of the V. 

 slightly posterior to the origin of the P. V. i, 5. A. iii, 8 ? 

 The third spine of the A. is the longest and the strongest, though 

 very little longer than the second. The tail is moderately forked, 

 the depth of the emargination being about one-fourth its length. 

 The spinous D. is more or less distinct from the soft D., to which 

 it is joined. There are eight or nine rows of scales on the cheeks. 

 Operculum and interoperculum scaled and a row of large scales 

 from occiput to suprascapula aud two rows between the former 



