1881]. NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 115 



thence descending nioderatel}', somewhat concave from posterior 

 margin of dorsal to caudal. Abdominal outline slightly concave 

 in front of eye, thence boldly convex to origin of anal, thence cor- 

 responding to dorsal outline. 



Head 3^ times, greatest depth 2yV in total length, the greatest 

 depth above the centre of the pectoral base ; greatest breadth (at 

 gill-openings) less than the length of the head, and 3j% in total 

 length. Snout H, eye 4 times in length of head, width of inter- 

 orbital area about 1^ times the diameter of the eye. Depth of 

 caudal peduncle nearly 2| times in greatest depth. 



The back behind the head forms a keel. 



Snout truncate at the tip, concave above and below, higher than 

 wide ; nostrils inconspicuous, a single opening on each side on a 

 minute papilla; mouth small; eyes round, lateral, entirely in the 

 posterior half of the head, the upper orbital margins slightly 

 raised, so that the interorbital area is somewhat concave. 



Teeth smooth, sharp-edged, line of junction distinct. 



Gill-opening small, almost perpendicular, distant from the e3-e 

 about an ej'e-diameter. 



Dorsal fin arising at a distance from the gill-opening equal to 

 the length of the head, with nine articulated rays, the first simple, 

 the others once or twice divided. Base of dorsal less than one- 

 third of the length of the snout, height rather more than one- 

 third of length of head. 



Anal slightlj' posterior to dorsal, with eight rays, the first ver- 

 tical with the posterior margin of the dorsal ; height and length of 

 base equal to dorsal. 



Caudal very slightly convex on posterior margin when opened 

 out, all the principal rays divided, some of the central ones four 

 times ; length of fin about 5^ times in total length. 



' Pectoral base oblique, its upper axil near the upjDcr end of the 

 gill-slit, thence backwards and downwards at an angle of about 

 4.5°. Pectoral fin fan-shaped, rather short (the tips of the rays in 

 the specimen are slightly injured), the uppermost ra^^ short, 

 simple ; the next (longest) simple ; the others once or twice 

 divided, slightlj^ diminishing in length downwards. 



Top and sides of head, breast, and abdomen to anal fin with 

 prickly papillte, most numerous upon the breast and under side of 

 the snout. Rest of body naked. 



Color purple, thickly sown with subcircular or subelliptic 



