432 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



intermaxillary. Gill-rakers rather long and slender, not very numerous. 

 Xo psendobranchias. Brancliiostegals rather numerous. Gill-mem- 

 branes separate and free from the isthmus. 



Pectorals rather short, placed high. Ventrals small, median. Dor- 

 sal and anal far back, opposite and similar to each other, the anterior 

 rays elevated. Caudal deeply forked, the lower lobe somewhat the 

 longer. 



18. Chriodorus atherinoides, n. sp. 



The greatest breadth of the body is about three-fifths of its depth, 

 which is contained 6f times in the length to caudal base. 



The length of the caudal peduncle is one-half greater than its least 

 depth and is a little less than half length of head. 



Head rather long, contained 4f times in length to caudal base. The 

 interorbital spnce is broad with a wide median ridge, on each side of 

 which is a groove; the width of the space is about equal to eye. Eye 

 large, very nearly median, equal to snout, contained 3^ times in head. 

 The area formed by the premaxillaries is fully 3 times as long as.broad. 

 Maxillary entirely concealed by the preorbital when the mouth is closed. 

 Edge of premaxillary slightly concave and curved. The upper jaw ex- 

 tends to anterior nostril, its length contained 4 times in length of head. 

 The lower jaw 2^ times in head, its tip broadly rounded, without a sym- 

 physial projection. There are about 28 teeth in the outer series in each 

 jaw. 



The distance from snout to dorsal fin equals 3g times length of head; 

 the dorsal base is a little greater than anal base and equals the distance^ 

 from snout to posterior margin of preopercle. Dorsal elevated in front, 

 but not falcate, its longest ray equals longest anal ray, which equals half 

 length of head; the last dorsal and anal rays are very short. Anal en- 

 tirely similar to dorsal, its insertion opposite front of dorsal. The up- 

 per lobe of caudal is nine-tenths as long as the head; the lower lobe is 

 slightly longer than head ; the length of middle rays is contained 2| times 

 in head. 



Ventrals midway between snout and caudal base, their length con- 

 tained 2^ times in length of head. Pectorals two-thirds as long as head, 

 the upper ray broadened. 



Vertical fins with small deciduous scales. Scales large, thin, decidji- 

 ous. Top of head scaly. 



B. 12; D. 1, 14; A. t, 15; V. G; P. 12. Scales 7—47—3. 



Color very pale olivaceous, silvery below and on the sides of head; 

 fine punctulations on the back, folloAving the rows of scales ; snout punc- 

 tulate; a narrow, distinct, silvery lateral band, its width under dorsal 

 origin nearly half length of eye, becoming much narrower anteriorly 

 and on the caudal peduncle. 



The single type specimen is 8J inches long, and is numbered 2G593; 

 it was collected by Mr. Silas Stearns at Key West, Florida. 



