PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 543 



the width of the uape between tlie outer pair of occipital spines being 

 not quite one fourth tlie length of the head. Upper profile of head 

 peculiar, being nearly straight from above front of eye backward, and 

 steep and strongly concave from front of eye to tip of snout. The 

 snout is, therefore, steeper, more depressed, and rather shorter than in 

 related species, its length being 2^ in head. Snout not very broad, 

 its front broadly rounded, its tip, as usual, emarginate, its edge with 

 fine serrse directed backward, but no sj^ines. Surfaces of bones of the 

 head covered with fine, sharply-defined strife, but with none of the small 

 granulations which are found in P. strigatus and other sj)ecies. 



Mouth rather wide, the maxillary reaching nearly to front of eye, 

 the mandible quite to front of eye. Maxillary, 2i in head. Baud of 

 palatine teeth of moderate length, as long as eye. 



Eye large, placed high, its diameter 4^ in head. Upper part of eye 

 with a fleshy cirrus rather enlarged toward the tip and iringed. This re- 

 sembles the cirri in Seorpmm ; its length is about half that of the eye, 

 Interorbital area very narrow and very deeply concave, its least width 

 little more than one-eighth the length of the head and not two thirds the 

 J length of the eye. Depth of interorbital area nearly one-third length 

 of eye. Bone tbrming anterior portion ot orbital rim very prominent, 

 forming a strongly striated crest, each of the striie ending in a project- 

 ing point or spinule. Upper portion of orbital rim i)rominent, even, 

 ending behind the eye in a sharp backward-directed spine, behind 

 which is a short cross-groove, which does not extend across the top of 

 the head. Distance from the bavse of this spine to the scales on the 

 nape very short, not more than half the length of the eye. Both pairs 

 of occipital spines distinct, the outer and larger ones extending to oppo 

 site front of dorsal. A small spine on temporal region in front of outer 

 pair of spines. Preopercle with a single moderate spine, at the end 

 of a long ridge; no smaller spine at its base. Opercle strongly striate, 

 with two strong spines, of which the upper one is proportionately larger 

 than usual. A single, rather strong humeral spine; membranaceous 

 flap of opercle scaly. 



Gill rakers very short and thick, about developed, these not half 

 longer than the interspaces, and not one-fourth length of eye. They 

 are about half as broad as high, thus having a form very different from 

 that seen in P. erolans, P. strigatus, P. trihulus, &c. 



Scales rather large, the scales on the back little reduced in size (about 

 10 between occiput and dorsal fin; 17 in P. strUjatus). 



Dorsal spines high and rather slender, the first rather the highest, its 

 length 1^ in head, its anterior margin not granulated. Soft dorsal 

 rather high, its longest ray 2 in head. Caudal IJin head; longest anal 

 ray 2^ in head. Pectorals rather long, extending nearly to last rays of 

 dorsal, their length almost twice head. Detached rays moderate, the 

 npi)ermost or longest 1;V in head. Ventrals 1^ in head. 



Coloration largely faded in the typical example; apparently olive- 



