PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 75 



membrane between the rays of dorsal and anal becoming slightly darker 

 towards the tips of the rays. 



Total length, in inches 



Length without caudal 



Greatest dei)th of body 



Length of head 



Width from tip of dorsal to tip of anal 



Longitudinal diameter of eye 



Length of snout, from a line joining the front margins of orbits 



luterocular space 



Length of pectoral, colored side (probably maimed) 



Length of pectoral, blind side 



Length of ventral 



Origin of anal to lateral line 



Greatest distance from anal to straight part of lateral 



Width of peduncle of tail, narrowest part 



Height of centre rays of dorsal 



Length of lower jaw 



17^ 



141 

 5| 



i 

 f 

 i 



ly 



1 



31i 



3ii 



in 



Although this species is of quite common occurrence in the markets 

 of San Francisco, it appears to have hitherto escaped description, prob- 

 ably on account of its extei-nal resemblance to Girard's Psettichthys 

 melanostietus, from which it is not distinguished by the dealers, who are 

 able to discriminate between most of the other species. With several 

 other kinds, it is sold under the name of "Sole." From melanostietus it 

 may be known by the more backward origin of the dorsal fin, the first 

 rays of which are lower than those next following; by the larger eyes and 

 rather narrower interocular space ; the absence of an accessory dorsal 

 branch to the lateral line, and the want of conspicuous bhick dots on the 

 colored side. The surface is decidedly less rough than that of melano- 

 stietus, although the scales are ciliated. The number of scales in the 

 lateral line is rather ditlicult to count, but there are about fourteen to 

 an inch m an example lif long (caudal included). 



1^0. 1 had 90 dorsal and 71 anal rays; I^o. 2, D. 94, A. 72; and Xo. 4, 

 D. 93, A. 75. 



In the stomach of ^o. 2 were three half-digested anchovies [Engraulis 

 ringcns) and a shrimp-lilie crustacean {Ilippohjtc). 



No. 2 had about 42 teeth in the mandible, and at least G2 in the inter- 

 maxillaries, those on the colored side most numerous and smallest; 

 while hi No. 4 the mandible had 14 teeth on the blind, and 11 on the 

 colored side, the intermaxillaries about 14 on the blind, and numerous 

 (ca. 50) small teeth on the colored side, without counting the inner row 

 of still smaller teeth. 



From H. limandoides = dcntattis, of the Atlantic, the present species 

 diflers in having more dorsal and anal rays, and in the presence of an 

 anal spine. 



