720 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. xxin. 



base of caudal rays and extending between raA's from where they braneh 

 nearl}' to their tips. 



Dorsal fin without notch between spinous and soft parts. First dorsal 

 spine about a third the height of the second. Third, fourth, and fifth 

 about e(}ual, the spines thence growing slighth' shorter, the tenth about 

 equaling the second. First dorsal ray articulated but not branched. 

 Its height slight!}' less than that of last spine. The rays thence grow- 

 ing slightly shortin- to before the last, which is at least (its tip is ])roken) 

 twice as long as preceding one. First anal spine less than a fourth the 

 height of the second and third, which are sube(|ual. The rays about 

 equal in height to the dorsal rays; the last ray about two and a half 

 times the preceding one. Pectoral long and falcate. Its tip reaching 

 to below base of first dorsal ra3'S. Its lower rays produced, making its 

 posterior outline \'ery concaye, more acutely curyed below. Distance 

 from tips of yentrals to front of anal half eye's diameter less than their 

 length. Caudal widely forked. 



Color of old alcoholic specimen somewhat silyery, darker on back, 

 slightly iridescent toward head. Naked areas of head seal lirown. 

 Upper edge of mandible, a space Icick of maxillary, and border of pre- 

 orbital darker. Dorsal dusky anteriorly, light posteriorly. Other fins 

 colorless. 



Measurements of Aphareus furcatus. 



Length without caudal expressed in millimeters 



Head expressed in hundredths of length 



Depth 



Eye 



Maxillary 



Height of fourth dorsal spine 



Height of second anal spine 



Length of pectoral 



Length of ventrals 



Length of caudal tin, about (broken) 



Length of caudal peduncle 



Distance from tip of snout to first dorsal spine. - . 



Number of dorsal rays 



Number of anal rays. 



Scales 



We have skeletonized one side of our specimen and find that its 

 osteology seconds the external characters in showing its ]iosition to be 

 in the family Lutianidte. It has the characters indicated b}^ Dr. 

 Theodore (lill for that family. "The absence of distinct tubercles 

 from the cranium for the articulation of the epipharyngeal bones, the 

 development of enlarged apophyses for articulation with the palatine 

 and preorbital bones, and the atrophy of parapophyses of the anterior 

 yertebra\ The parapophyses may be said to be absolutely wanting on 

 the anterior four vertebra?, and but faintly developed on the fifth and 

 sixth, or even seventh.'" 



The supraoccipital and lateral crests not extending over the inter- 

 orbital region places Aj)h(ire>fs with that section of the family to which 

 Aprion and Etelia belong. It shows its afliuity to Aprion in having a 



