140 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



58. Trisotropis falcatus Poey. — Scamj). 



The United States National Museum reeeived, March 24, 1879, from 

 Mr. Sihis Stearns, of Pensacoki, Fla., a fresh individual, No. 22,230, of a 

 species of Trisotropis, called " Scamp " by the tishermeu. The weight of 

 the fisli is 7^ pounds. 



]Mr. Stearns's collecting- number is 117. He states that it was captured 

 in deep water, aiul is abundant "in spots." He has seen individuals 

 three times as large as the present one. 



Diagnosis. — A. Trisotro^ns with the body moderately' compressed, its 

 greatest depth nearly equal to J of its length ^ ithout caudal, and exactly 

 equal to twice the length of the pectoral; the length of the head equal 

 to f of the greatest depth of body, and to 4 times the length of the 

 snout ; the lower jaw i)rojecting beyond the upper for a distance which 

 equals i of the long diameter of the eye ; the 11th ray of the soft dorsal, 

 the oth and 0th rays of the aual, the external and 5 of the internal caudal 

 rays produced 5 the vent in the vertical from the 10th dorsal spine; the 

 pectoral reaching the vertical let fall from the 7th dorsal spine; the 

 ^'entrals as long as the pectorals, and reaching to the vertical let fall 

 from the 8th dorsal spine ; the maxilla extending to and the mandible 

 beyond the vertical through the posterior margin of the orbit ; the dis- 

 tance of the eye from the upper profile of the head equal to J of its short 

 diameter ; the long diameter of the eye contained tMice in the length of 

 the snout, and Oi times in the length of the head ; the Oth dorsal spine 

 longest, and equal to the distance from the border of the preoperculum 

 to the end of the opercular Hap ; the 1st dorsal spine § as long as the last 

 and half as long as the od and 4th ; the longest (11th) ray of the soft dor- 

 sal equal to the 1st ray of the anal ; the longest (5th) anal ray slightly 

 exceeding the length of the pectoral and ventral; 3 rays in the upper 

 half, and 2 in the lower half of the caudal produced, the longest of these 

 extending beyond the general outline of the rays for a distance equal to 

 the 3d anal spine; the external caudal rays nearly twice as long as the 

 middle rays ; the 1st dorsal consisting of 11 spines, the 2d dorsal of 17 

 rays ; the anal having 3 spines and 11 rays; the caudal, about 20 rays ; 

 the pectoral, 1 undivided ray ; the ventral, 1 spine and 5 rays ; the 

 uumber of rows of scales between the upper angle of the operculum and 

 tlie origin of the middle caudal rays 120 ; about 25 scales in a trans- 

 verse series from the beginning of the spinous dorsal to the lateral line, 

 and al)out 43 from thence to the lower profile of the body ; the posterior 

 nostril three times as long and tvvice as wide as the anterior, and scarcely 

 its own length from the eye ; the 3 opercular s]uues broad, flat and cleft 

 at the free ends. 



Teeth: Vomerines brush-like, in an angular patch; palatines similar 

 and in a single series ; internuixillary teeth in a single series, with a 

 short band at the symphysis; 4 canines; mandibulary teeth in two 

 series ; several canines at the symphysis. 



