PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 481 



Vol. Til, IVo. 31. H'ai^hiii^toii, II. €. Sh[^=:aaSgJt1»Tr< 



JAX. 26, 1885. ! 



to 55-12. Length (29499, Panama), 9 inches. Allied to S. vermicularis, 

 <S'. chrysoleuca, &c. 



Body oblong, the caudal peduncle slender, the back moderately ele 

 vated. Snout rather acute, projecting moderately' beyond the premax- 

 illaries, its length 3f in head. Anterior profile slightly concave above 

 eye, thence from nape to dorsal steep and rather strongly convex. 

 Mouth of moderate size, little oblique, subinferior, the maxillary ex- 

 tending to rather beyond the posterior margin of pupil, its length 3} in 

 head. Teeth in the lower jaw in a rather broad villiform band, the 

 outer teeth not enlarged, similar to the inner teeth. Outer teeth of 

 upper jaw moderately enlarged. Eye medium, 5^ in head. Inter- 

 orbital space rather narrow, gently convex, its width 5^ in head. Cra- 

 nium not spongy to the touch. Preopercle rather coarsely serrate, the 

 teeth near the angle largest, none of them directed forwards. Gill- 

 rakers thickish, extremely short and small, the longest not longer than 

 nostril. 



Scales rather small, the soft dorsal and anal well scaled. 



Dorsal spines rather slender and low, the second much stouter than 

 the third, which is longest, 2 in head. Longest soft ray of dorsal 2f in 

 head. 



Caudal fin irregularly double-truncate, the median rays longest, If 

 in head, the upper angle not produced. Longest soft rays of anal 

 about half head. Second anal spine robust, rather long, If in head. 

 Pectorals reaching past tips of ventrals, 1^ in head. Veutrals If. 



Color steel-gray above, dull-silvery below, everywhere much soiled 

 with dark brown points. Centers of each scale dark brown j these 

 dark spots confluent in narrow but distinct dark stripes which follow 

 the direction of the rows of scales ; streaks above lateral line anteriorly 

 running obliquely upwards and backwards; below lateral line hori- 

 zontal and posteriorly above, and somewhat undulating. Fins plain; 

 the edge of the spinous dorsal and the whole of the anal and ventrals 

 blackish; other fins paler. 



This species was found by Professor Gilbert rather abundant both 

 at Mazatlan and Panama, and several specimens were obtained by him 

 in 1881 at each of the two localities. These are numbered 28385, 

 29229, 29269, 29275, 29337, 29638, 29490, 29499 on the records of the 

 United States National Museum. 



This species was at first identified by us with Corvina vennicularisj 

 Giinther. The latter species is somewhat similar in color and in form, 

 but it has the outer teeth of the lower jaw considerably enlarged and 

 rather robust, and also the upper angle of the caudal produced. 



Scicena vermicularis seems to be a rare species. Besides Dr. Giinther's 

 type in the British Museum, which we have examined, the only speci- 

 Proc. Nat. Mus. 84 31 



