PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 2il 



Vol. Til, No. 16. Wa!«hiii^toii, D. €. Aug. SO, 1884. 



second dorsal base equals 3 times the leugtb of the pectoral, which is 

 contained nearly 5^ times in the total without caudal. The origin of 

 the anal is about in a vertical let fall from the base of the fifth ray of 

 the first dorsal. The distance of the ventral from the tip of the snout 

 is contained 4^ times in the total length to caudal base. The longest 

 ventral ray is contained about 5f times in the standard body-length. 

 When the ventral is extended backward its tip will reach the base of 

 the fourth anal ray. The length of the middle caudal ray is one-third 

 of the length of the head. The lateral line is very indistinct, but it is 

 situated rather high, and follows pretty closely the contour of the 

 back. The gill-rakers are moderately short and not numerous. 



The general color is a light yellowish-brown with the under surface 

 of the head, the abdomen, the margins of the dorsal and anal fins, 

 the lips, and the axil of the pectoral very dark brown. There is, also, 

 a dark brown blotch on the suboperculum. The inside of the mouth 

 and of the gill-membranes are white. 



Badicd formula.— D. 10, 49 ; A. 54; Y. 7. Scales 6-61 to 62-] 6. 



Ijotella maxillaris, n. s. 



The little fish which I at one time supposed to be similar to Physicu- 

 lus dalwiglii is not that species, and it appears to belong to a different 

 genus. I refer it, with some doubt, to the genus Lotella. The ventrals 

 have a flat base and several rays. The vomerine teeth seem to be ab- 

 sent, and there is an outer series of stronger teeth in the jaws. The 

 first dorsal also contains but five rays. The lower jaw, however, pro- 

 jects very slightly beyond the m^per. I am induced to describe it here 

 simply to call attention to its presence in our waters, and hope that bet- 

 ter material may be soon obtained upon which to base a more nearly 

 complete account. 



Description. — A single individual was taken by the United States 

 Fish Commission steamer " Fish Hawk," August 23, 1881, at Station 952, 

 in north latitude 39° 55' and west longitude 70^ 28', in 396 fathoms. 

 The specimen is only 2| inches in length. The catalogue number of the 

 type is 29832. It is No. 14 of my list of fishes published by Professor 

 Yerri!l (Amer. Jour. Sci. and Arts, vol. xxii, 1881, p. 296). The head 

 is moderately compressed ; the snout is short. The length of the head 

 is contained about 4^ times in the total length without caudal ; the 

 height of the body 5 times. The eye is one-third as long as the head. 

 The maxilla reaches to the vertical through the anterior margin of 

 the pupil ', its length equals that of the postorbital part of the head. 

 The teeth are in narrow bands in the jaws, the outer series being 

 enlarged. The vomer and palate seem to be without teeth. The vent 

 is situated about under the eighth ray of the second dorsal. The 

 distance of the first dorsal from the tip of the snout is contained 4 



Proc. Nat. Mus. 84 16 



