"PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 421 



Eadial formula.— B. IV ; D. VI, 22-23 ; C. 9+11 ; P. 20 ; V. I, 5. 



Color. — In alcoholic specimeus, pale yellowish ; in fresh condition, 

 according to Jordan, light olive. Top of first dorsal dnsky, middle of 

 candal dusky (blue) with paler (perhaps red) edgiugs. 



9. Scoi-ps;na Stearnsii, u. sp. 



Body robust, little compressed, tapering posteriorly. Mouth moder- 

 ate, oblique, the jaws equal when closed, the lower jaw with a small 

 symphysial knob. The maxillary reaches to below posterior margin of 

 orbit, and is half as long as head. 



Height of body contained 2f times in length to caudal base; length 

 of head, 2f times. 



The preorbital has two strong diverging spines ; the suborbital with- 

 out deep pit, its stay low, armed with two small spines. Nasal spines 

 inconspicuous. Interorbital space deeply concave, with two longitudi- 

 nal ridges, its width equalling three-fifths of the long diameter of eye. 

 Eye 4 in length of head. The cranial ridges are rather low, moderately 

 sharp, the following pairs of spines present : Preocular, supraocular, 

 postocular, coronal, occipital, nuchal, besides three on the temporal re- 

 gion arranged in a right line behind the eye. Occipital region dee[), 

 a little broader thanlong. 



Preopercular spines five, the two lower blunt and short, the upper 

 much the longest, half as long as the eye, a small spine at its base. 

 Opercular spines moderate. Scapular spines small. Supraocular flap 

 very small, its length less than one-third that of eye. Preorbital, preoper- 

 cle, cheeks, and nostrils with small dermal flaps. Opercular flap scaly; 

 a few rudimentary scales on cheeks and front of opercle. Breast with 

 small scales. Gill-rakers short and thick, not twice as long as broad. 



Scales large, smooth, their edges with a thin membrane, the radiating 

 strine conspicuous, but the concentric striai inconspicuous. Scales of 

 the belly smaller. A series of dermal flaps along the lateral line, and 

 at the dorsal base. 



Dorsal spines slender, the longest contained 2^ times in length of 

 head; the longest soft ray half as long as head. Caudal subtruncate, 

 its angles rounded, its length four-fifths that of head. 



Anal spines small, the second and third equal, contained 2| times in 

 length of head. Soft anal rays high, the longest half as long as head. 



Ventrals contained If times in length of head, the last rays joined to 

 the belly by a broad membrane which extends nearly to their tips. 



Pectorals reach to soft rays of anal, the longest ray slightly shorter 

 than head. The base of the fin is a little procurrent, its length one-tbird 

 that of head, the lowermost rays rapidly shortened. 



D. XI, I, 9; A. Ill, 5; P. 20; V. I, 5. 32 series of scales in lateral 

 line (31 tubes). 



Color dusky olivaceous, whitish below. Head with some dark blotches, 

 its lower and posterior parts with a few round black spots about as 



