PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 417 



at Garden Key, Florida, by Gustaviis Wiirdemann ; they are of inclies 

 and 3 inches long, respectively. 



Length of head contained 3|, depth 43 times in total to caudal base. 

 D. XII, 18; A. 11,20. 



Body comparatively elongate and compressed; anterior profile mod- 

 erately decurved; head nearly one-half longer than deep ; snout very 

 short and blunt; mouth large, horizontal ; jaws even; the maxillary 

 reaches to posterior margin of orbit, its length contained 2i times in 

 that of head. Each jaw with a long, curved, posterior canine, the can- 

 ines of lower jaw largest. Preorbital two-thirds diameter of eye, which 

 is contained 3f times in length of head, and equals more than twice inter- 

 orbital width. An extremely long and slender supraocular cirrus, trifid 

 to the base, the longest branch nearly as long as the head. No nuchal 

 cirri. Gill-membranes forming a rather narrow fold across the isthmus. 



Dorsal low, continuous; the spines very slender and flexible, the long- 

 est half as long as the head ; the longest soft ray three-quarters as long 

 as head ; the last ray slightly joined to base of caudal. Caudal three- 

 quarters as long as head. Anal rather high. Pectoral four-fifths as 

 long as head ; only the straight part of lateral line developed. 



Color faded, brownish, finely reticultated, a series of obscure bluish 

 blotches along the sides ; front and sides of head marked witli very dis- 

 tinct blue, reticulating lines surrounding honey-comb-like hexagonal 

 interspaces ; top of head with many small blue spots; dorsal with black 

 dots and streaks; a black spot bordered with whitish between the first 

 and second dorsal spines. Anal with oblique blue streaks; the fin 

 margined with dusky; tips of the rays whitish. Base of pectorals with 

 blue reticulations. The whole body was probably reticulated with blue 

 in life. 



6. Opisthognathus scaphiurus, u. sp. 



The type of this species is a finely- preserved specimen, Ko. 593(3, col- 

 lected many years ago at Garden Key, Florida, by Dr. Whiteburst* 

 Its length is 5 inches. 



Body moderately elongate, somewhat compressed, its greatest depth 

 contained 5 times in length to caudal base. Head rounded, blunt an- 

 teriorly in profile ; snout very short, about as long as pupil ; eye large, 

 its length contained 4 times in that of head; maxillary reaching slightly 

 past edge of preopercle, but not to end of head, its length contained 3| 

 times in total to caudal base ; ending in a flexible flap ; lower jaw slightly 

 included. 



Teeth rather strong, wide set, forming two distinct series in front of 

 each jaw, those of the inner series directed backward, especially in the 

 upper jaw; the lateral teeth of lower jaw largest; a single vomerine 

 tooth. 



Anterior nostril with a short flap. Gill-rakers rather long and slen- 

 der, the longest not quite half length of eye, nearly 20 below angle. 

 Proc. Nat. Mus. 82 27 Sept/ 18, 1 8 82. 



