1903.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 335 



panic spines, the posterior rather large. A small coronal spine. 

 Nuchal spine long. Preopercular, opercular and humeral spines large 

 and strong, and of more or less even size. Anterior and lateral labial 

 bones each with a small spine, that of the latter minute. 



Gill-opening extending forward nearly opposite the posterior nostril. 

 Gill-rakers in 1 + 8 vi, compressed, short, their inner edges with 

 minute asperities, and the longest a Uttle shorter than the longest 

 filaments, which are half the eye diameter. Pseudobranchise large. 

 Isthmus very broad, flattened, and the gill-membrane free. 



Peritoneum silvery. 



Anus close to the origin of the anal fin. 



Scales small, finely ciliated, and greatly reduced on the front of the 

 back. Scales on the belly small and smooth. Base of the caudal 

 scaly. Space between pectoral and ventral naked. Lateral line com- 

 posed of simple tubes, high, continuous, mostly concurrent with the 

 dorsal profile, and running down a httle above the middle of the caudal 

 peduncle. 



Origin of the spinous dorsal directly after the base of the pectoral, 

 the third spine the highest, the first longer than fifth, and the others all 

 graduated down to the last, which is very short. The soft dorsal is 

 inserted a little nearer the front of the eye than the base of the caudal, 

 the anterior rays a little the liighest, and like the spinous fin, depress- 

 able in a rather broad groove. Margin of the soft dorsal with small 

 notches. Caudal long, truncate. Anal inserted below the origin of 

 the soft dorsal, the spines flexible, shorter than the rays, and the 

 second a little the longer. Margin of the rayed anal deeply notched, 

 and the penultimate ray the longest. Pectoral long, reaching opposite 

 the base of the last anal ray, and the eighth ray the longest . Ventral 

 long, reaching the anal fin, and the third and fourth rays the longest 

 and about equal. 



Color in alcohol deep olivaceous-brown on the upper surface, indis- 

 tinctly variegated with small darker specks. On the head these are 

 more distinct and form short wavy lines. Edges of the mouth and 

 gill-opening pale yellowish, the latter somewhat tinged with salmon. 

 Lower surface of the body white, the flanks tinted with salmon-pink. 

 Anal pink. Dorsals and caudal dusky, the former marked with diffuse 

 darker spots. A dark spot in front of the third dorsal spine near its 

 margin. Pectoral blackish, variegated with rather large black spots, 

 and its inner ray whitish basally. Ventrals whitish, with many dusky 

 dots. Iris grayish-brown. Inside of the gill-opening brassy-dusky 

 and blackish. 



Length 10 inches. 



