60 MEMOIRS OF THE CARNEGIE MUSEUM. 



parietal fontanel very large; mouth large, the maxillary equal to the eye, not quite 

 reaching the suture between the second and third suborbitals. Third suborbital 

 leaving a naked area around its entire convex free margin; a naked area about 

 half as wide as the postorbital behind the postorbitals. The postorbitals in two 

 or three parts, very variable. Gill-rakers 4 + 10, longest about half the length 

 of the eye. 



Premaxillary teeth eight to ten, of nearly uniform size, their margins sub- 

 parallel, the median cusp more prominent than the lateral; maxillary teeth similar, 

 but smaller than the premaxillary teeth, and with three cusps. Mandibulary 

 teeth graduated on the side of the jaw, the anterior six or seven of about equal size, 

 their tips broad, the bases narrowed, the three median points alike, forming a con- 

 tinuous cutting edge, the expanded tips of the teeth being in contact, a minute 

 cusp on each side. 



Origin of dorsal equidistant from tip of snout and end of middle series of scales, 

 the dorsal pointed, its height about equal to the length of the head; adipose fin 

 well developed; caudal lobes about equal to length of the head; origin of anal 

 below middle or posterior part of dorsal, its margin distinctly emarginate, the 

 height of the lobe less than the length of the head; ventrals reaching anal; pectorals 

 reaching ventrals. 



Scales with a varying number of radiating strise, everywhere regularly imbri- 

 cate; caudal naked; no distinct row of scales along the base of the anal; axillary 

 scale very small; eight to ten scales with pores; ten scales between dorsal and 

 ventrals. 



A conspicuous black spot occupies the entire width of the caudal peduncle and 

 half the length of the middle caudal rays. A median dusky line associated with a 

 narrow silvery line on posterior half of body. No other markings. 



Male scarcely distinguishable from the female, lower caudal fulcra not modified. 



Genus XVI. Compsura^* gen. no v. 



Type : Compsura heterura Eigenmann. 



Closely allied to Cheirodon, but differing much in the structure of the male. 



Teeth few; multicuspid incisors in a single series; mouth minute; second sub- 

 orbital in contact with the preopercle below and partly behind ; postorbital leaving 

 a naked area behind about half as wide as the bone; adipose fin well -developed; 

 caudal fulcra in both sexes covered by scales; a lobe of large scales in the male 

 extending along the base of the middle caudal rays; lateral line incomplete; scales 



'^ KOfixpos = well dressed; 6vpa = tail. 



