160 PEOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM, 



€2. Pomadasys approximans, n. sp. 

 *30062. One specimen. 

 30084. One specimen. 



This species very closely resembles P. cultriferum of Poey, as de- 

 scribed in Memorias, ii, p. 185. It agrees with the description in every- 

 thing except the comparative lengths of the dorsal and anal spines. 

 One of Professor Poey's own specimens determined by him as P. cul- 

 triferum, Ko. 4699 in the National Musenm collection, agrees even less 

 with his description of the species in the Memorias than do the two 

 specimens under consideration. We have determined, provisionally, to 

 give it the name P. apjjroxinmns, and present a full descrii^tion and table 

 of measurements. 



The body is robust and comparativelj' high. The profile descends 

 obliquely in an almost straight line from the origin of the spinous dorsal 

 to above the eye, the profile of the snout being steeper. The eye is 

 large, slightly longer than the snout. The iuterorbital space is flat, its 

 width measured on the bone being about two-thirds of the length of 

 the eye. The maxilla, concealed entirely by the preorbital, reaches to 

 the vertical through the anterior margin of the eye. The height of the 

 preorbital, measured at the middle of the length of the upper jaw, is 

 equal to the iuterorbital width. The edge of the preopercle is slightly 

 notched and strongly serrated ; the serrations of the angle are longer 

 and wider apart than those on the vertical limb. The lower limb is 

 smooth. The teeth are in villiform bands in both jaws, with the outer 

 rows scarcely enlarged. The vomer, palatines, and tongue are tooth- 

 less. Gill-rakers short, smooth, and widely set, 5 above and 11 below 

 the angle of the anterior arch. The head is scaled throughout, except 

 on the muzzle. The scales of the opercle are irregular in size, and in 

 about seven rows. The bases of the pectorals, ventrals, and caudal fin 

 are scaly. The verfical fins are scaleless, the bases of the soft dorsal 

 and anal being provided with low scaly sheaths. The dorsal spines are 

 very strong, and alternately wider on one side than on the other, per- 

 mitting the depression of the fin. 



The height of the body is contained 2f times in the length to the 

 caudal base, and the length of the head 3 times in the same. The diam- 

 eter of the eye, which equals the least height of the tail, is contained 3J 

 times in the length of the head. The caudal peduncle is as long as the 

 postorbital part of the head. The first dorsal spine is one-half the length 

 of the second, which is as long as the eye. The fourth dorsal spine is 

 the longest, and is equal to one-half the greatest lieight of the body. 

 Thence the lengths of the spines gradually decrease to the twelfth and 

 thirteenth spines, which are equal in length, and as long as the second 

 spine. The length of the base of the spinous dorsal is about equal to 

 the distance of its origin from the snout. The length of the base of the 

 soft dorsal is equal to that of the longest dorsal spine. The longest 

 dorsal ray is equal in length to the ninth spine, and is contained about 



