PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 257 



Vol.TII, :^o. 17. \¥ashmgtoii, D. C. Aug. 22, 1884. 



Teeth in a single series on the jaws, palatines, and on the margin of the 

 tongue ; 3 or 4 strong teeth on the chevron of the vomer. The hyoid 

 teeth are well developed. The preorbital is narrow, its width be- 

 ing about one-fourth of the diameter of the eye, with a row of conspic- 

 uous pores. Preopercle with a lower limb. The broad opercles and 

 preopercles are conspicuously striated, and the postorbitals and suboper- 

 culuni have strong concentric striae. The gill-rakers are short and 

 wide, the longest being one-half as long as the eye ; there are 9 

 above and 14 to 15 below the angle of the anterior arch. The dorsai 

 tin is about as high as long, the longest ray being contained If times 

 in the length of the head. The anal fin is short, its longest ray slightly 

 longer than the base of the fin is contained 2 times in the length of 

 the head. The adipose fin is placed above the last anal rays ; it is of 

 moderate length, falcate, its height being about twice its width. The 

 pectoral fin is placed low ; its length is less than one-half the distance of 

 its origin from that of the ventral. The ventral is inserted under the 

 fourth dorsal ray and reaches half-way to the anal origin. The length 

 of the ventral appendage is two-fifths of that of the fin. The caudal fin 

 is large, slightly forked, the external rays not quite twice as long as the 

 middle rays. All the fins are shorter in the female than in the male. 



The length of the head is contained 4f to 5 times, and the greatest 

 height of the body 5^ to 6 times in the total length from the tip of the 

 snout to the end of the scales. The diameter of the eye is contained 2 

 times in the distance from the orbit to the tip of the snout, and 2 J times 

 in the width of the iuterorbital area. The length of the snout is one- 

 fourth, that of the maxilla two-fifths, that of the pectoral two-thirds, 

 and that of the ventral about one-half of the length of the head. 



The scales are small. There are about 235 in a longitudinal series 

 above the lateral line, which is composed of about 123 larger tube-bear- 

 ing scales. There are about 34 scales in a transverse series above the 

 lateral line, and 26 to 30 below. 



Radial formula.— T>. iii— iv, 11; A. ii, 10; P. 14; V. i,9; B. 11; 

 gill-rakers 9 + 14 to 15 ; pyloric cceca, 30 to 35. 



The color is dark green on the head and the upper part of the body, 

 with lighter wide irregular green streaks, difiering in width, length, 

 and position in different individuals ; silvery below. The sides are 

 everywhere covered with pale pink spots, the largest not as large as the 

 eye. These spots almost disappear in the alcoholic specimens. The 

 dorsal fin is bluish-green, somewhat lighter towards its base. The cau- 

 dal lobes are dusky near the margins. The other fins are reddish or 

 pink. The flesh is pale pink. 



Proc. Nat. Mus. 84 17 



