NO. 12-10. 



CARDIXAL FISHES OF JAPAX—.TOBt>AX AND SNYDER. 



899 



luterorbital space broad, flat, with a median eUnation. Snout shovter 

 than the diameter of eye. Lower jaw proioctinu-; maxillary extendino- 

 to a point about midway l)etween pupil and edge of orlnt. Teeth 

 villiform on jaws, vomer, and palatine.s; no canines. Gill-rakers 

 6+13; those on middle of arch very long and slender. Posterior 

 edge of opercle with large serrations near the angle. Fins moderate; 

 caudal subtruncate. Scales rather thin and loose. 



Color grayish: sometimes slightly l)luish, with pink; sides silvery; 

 top of hetid and jaws dusky, with dark dots; body with 8 to 12 narrow, 

 faint, irregular dark ])rownish cross-streaks; much narrower than the 

 interspaces, and sometimes alternately narrow and broad. Spinous 

 dorsal dark-edged; second dorsal with a dark median l)and and a dark 



IN I.lNKATr: 



edge; caudal dusky at l)ase, with a more or less distinct dark edge; 

 ventrals and pectorals yellowish, more or less dotted with ]>lack; anal 

 pale yellow; no spot oii caudal. Length 60 to 90 millimeters. 



Coasts of Japan, from Tokyo southward, everywhere common in 

 sandy l)ays, and becoming from its abundance a food tish of importance. 

 It isusually known as Tenjikudai. Our specimens are from Tokyo, 

 Yokohama. Misaki. Owari, Enoshiuia, Wakanoura, Kobe, Onomichi, 

 Miyajima, Hiroshima, Tsuruga, Kawatana, Hakata, and Nagasaki. 



The only variations of importance are in degree of color, some hav- 

 ing the paired tins pale and the lateral bands faint. The length of head, 

 size of eye. depth of l)ody, and caudal peduncle are subject to slight 

 variation. 



{LhirdttA.s, lined.) 



