444 FISHES COLLECTED BY THE ALBATROSS— GILBERT. 



Txjpe.—Bo. 47574, U.S.N.M. Named for Dr. Stephen Alfred Forbes, 

 of the University of Illinois, in recof^nition of his work on the Percida\ 



Two specimens, the type 7^ inches long, from Albemarle Island, one 

 of the Galapagos Archipelago. 



Family SOI^NID^. 



OPHIOSCION STRABO, Gilbert, new species. 

 (Plate L.) 



Closely allied to 0. typicus, having the same general shape and the 

 elongate caudal which is longer tlian head. It differs conspicuously in 

 its much smaller eye, its heavier, shorter snout, which barely protrudes 

 beyond the mouth, and its longer, less numerous, pieopercular spines. 



Snout bluntly rounded, little projecting, the mouth short and broad 

 compared with 0. typicus. Anterior upper profile very concave, rising 

 rapidly from occiput to dorsal, growing sharply compressed. Mouth 

 moderately oblique, subterminal, the snout protruding beyond the pre- 

 maxillaries for a distance (measured axially) equaling half diameter of 

 pupil. Maxillary reaching slightly behind front of orbit, 3| to 3f in 

 length of head. Mandibular teeth of equal size, in a wide villiform 

 band. Premaxillary band similar, preceded by an outer row of short 

 slender canines. Preorbital rather narrow, half iuterorbital width. 

 Eyes small, obliquely set, the oblique diameter 4 to U in length of 

 head. Iuterorbital space transversely convex, its width 3| in head. 

 A low superciliary ridge. Preopercular margin with a few (4 to 6) 

 slender needle-like spines, the three longer ones wide spaced, evenly 

 radiating about the angle. Margin of lower limb furnished with 5 or 

 6 minute spinous teeth, compressed triangular, and flexible. Gill 

 rakers short, slender, half diameter of pupil, or 7 above angle, 12 

 below. 



First two and last two dorsal spines rather strong and rigid, the 

 others exceedingly slender and flexible. The third si)ine is the longest, 

 reaching beyond base of tenth spine when depressed, 1| to If in 

 length of head. The tenth spine is the shortest, the eleventh longer, 

 representing the first ray of second dorsal. Distance from last dorsal 

 ray to base of middle caudal ray ecjuals length of snout and half of eye. 

 Second anal spine long and slender, half or slightly more than half 

 length of head, three-fourths or four-fifths the longest anal ray. Anal 

 basis but little more oblique than the rest of the abdominal profile. 

 Distance from base of last anal ray to base of middle caudal ray 

 slightly exceeds distance from tip of snout to preopercular margin. 

 Caudal lanceolate, the middle rays much ])roduced, etpidling distance 

 from tip of snout to axil of pectorals. Pectorals short, scarcely reach- 

 ing tips of ventrals, the latter not to vent. Outer ventral ray slightly 

 I)roduced bej'ond the rest. 



Scales smaller than in 0. fypicns, 5 or in the vertical series between 

 lateral line and back. Arcli of lateral line ending over the anterior 

 portion of anal fin. Head almost entirely scaled, including mandible, 



