Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 491 



slightly rounded, its lower surface with large mucous pores arranged in a prominent pat- 

 tern, its length in front of nostrils only about Ve of length in front of mouth, but length 

 in front of mouth only a little less than V2 length of head. Distance between nostrils aver- 

 aging a little less than Vs (28 to 35% ) of length in front of mouth. Eye oval, its lower out- 

 line much more convex than upper, its horizontal diameter about I/4 as long as head. Spi- 

 racle about y^ as long as eye, a little above upper margin of latter and behind it by a dis- 

 tance about Va as long as diameter of eye. Gill openings about evenly spaced, all of about 

 equal lengths and very short, about Vs to V4 as long as diameter of eye, the 5th close 

 in front of the pectoral. Nostril close to anterior margin of snout, about V2 as long as hori- 

 zontal diameter of eye, moderately oblique, its anterior margin with a long narrow lobe 

 near its outer end. Mouth very little arched, in somewhat sinuous contour, about % as 

 broad as length of snout in front of mouth. Upper and lower labial furrows each a little 

 less than ^/3 as long as to the respective symphysis, the rearward prolongation of pit at 

 corner of mouth a little more than V2 as long as horizontal diameter of eye. 



Teeth HEiI in specimen illustrated; upper teeth usually with 5 (rarely 3 or 7) 

 cusps, the median cusp longest and the outermost pair very short, except on the outermost 

 2 teeth, which are much lower and lack definite cusps j lower teeth subquadrate, a little 

 longer than broad and with i sharp cusp so oblique that the inner margins are approxi- 

 mately parallel with the jaw, each overlapping the next outermost to form a continuous 

 cutting edge, the outermost tooth of all more broadly expanded than the others basally on 

 outer side; usually 3 series functional all along upper jaw, i or 2 on lower, depending on 

 their stage in replacement. 



First dorsal with base about V4 as long as head, its margins nearly straight, its 

 apex rounded, its free rear corner about as long as base, its origin a little posterior to inner 

 corner of pectoral, its spine exposed for more than ^o its length, reaching about % the way 

 along the fin, the midpoint of its base about % as far from axil of pectoral as from origin 

 of pelvics. Second dorsal similar to ist in shape, but nearly twice as high vertically and 

 I V2 times as long at base, its origin a little posterior to rear ends of bases of pelvics, its spine 

 exposed for about % its length, reaching nearly to apex of fin (thus much longer than ist 

 dorsal spine, relatively). Interspace between 2nd dorsal and caudal about 1.5 to 1.8 times 

 as long as base of 2nd dorsal. Caudal a little less than % of total length or about as long as 

 from tip of snout to 3rd gill opening, transversely rounded at tip, with obtuse subterminal 

 notch, the terminal sector about V5 of fin, its lower anterior corner rounded, a little more 

 than a right angle, the lower anterior margin between V3 and V2 as long as upper margin. 

 Interspace between caudal and rear ends of bases of pelvics about as long as from origins 

 of pelvics to tips of pectorals in female and considerably longer in male. Pelvics about as 

 long at base as 2nd dorsal, with nearly straight edges and tapering subacute tips. Pectoral 

 a little less than Vs as long as head, about % as broad as long, brush-shaped with broadly 

 truncate tip and rounded corners, the inner not at all produced. 



Color. After preservation the specimens are dark grayish or chocolate brown above, 



