PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 283 



dark dots, so as to appear almost wholly black. Yeiitrals and aual 

 creamy orange, somewhat soiled with black. Inside of opercle black. 



D. X-I, 24 ; A. I. 7. Scales, C-54-11 ; gill rakers almost obsolete ; 

 scales on breast not very small ; outer teeth of upper jaw much enlarged. 



92. Menticirrus littoralis (Hcilbr.) GiU.— Surf WhUhio. P. G. (;30815,30835,30837, 

 3104(i,3Ui4s. ) 



A common surf species, as abundant as the preceding, but less often 

 brought to market. This species is very dift'erent from M. aJburmts, 

 with which it has been confounded. Its relations are with the two 

 Pacific coast species, 31. undulaUis Grd., and M. eJongatus Gthr., from 

 the latter of which it is difficult to distinguish it. The following is a 

 detailed description : 



Color in life gray above, with some bluish and with very strong bronze 

 reflections; a darker bronze shade along sides on level of pectorals, 

 extending to tail and along cheeks, the belly below this abruptly white. 

 No trace of dark bars. Dorsals light brown; spinous dorsal black at 

 tip, the base narrowly white. Caudal pale, its tips usually black; 

 anal creamy, sometimes dusky at tip. Pectoral whitish, only its upper 

 rays with dark punctulations, especially on the inner side, which is 

 sometimes quite dark. Ventrals pale, puuctulate towards their tips, 

 which are white. Lining of gill cavity pale. 



Head 3^- in length (3| in total); depth 4f (5J). D. X-I, 23 (not 27 as 

 stated by Holbrook); A. I, 7. Scales G-50-11; 54 tubes in lateral line. 



Body elongate, the caudal peduncle very slender, its least depth 3f in 

 head. Head long, rather broad ; the snout long, bluntish, 3 in head, pro- 

 jecting moderately beyond the premaxillaries (for a distance of about one- 

 fifth its length), which project beyond lower jaw. Mouth rather small, 

 wholly inferior, the maxillary reaching little beyond front of eye, 3^ in 

 head. Teeth in broad bands, the outer series in upper jaw a very little 

 enlarged (very much smaller than in M. alburmis). 



Posterior nostril a lanceolate slit, as long as barbel, or about half 

 diameter of eye. Eye small, 5 to in head, about one-fourth narrower 

 than preorbital or interorbital space. Gill rakers about one-third diam- 

 eter of pupil; about 7 on lower part of arch. 



Dorsal spines rather slender and high, the longest about two-thirds 

 length of head. Soft dorsal moderate, its longest rays about equal to 

 snout. Lower lobe of caudal broader than upper. If in head. Longest 

 rays of anal a little longer than snout ; pectorals If in head, reaching 

 slightly beyond tips of ventrals, which are about two in head. Ax- 

 illary scale one-fourth length of pectoral; scales on breast very small; 

 about 25 in a lougitiulinal series to front of ventrals, and about 15 in 

 a cross series connecting outer margins of ventrals ; 10 scales in a 

 vertical series from vent to lateral line ; 15 to 18 in an oblique series 

 forward. No air bladder. Pyloric c«ca 9. 



