2064 BtiUctin //, United States National Museum. 



groove; on this ridge is a triangular spine pointing backward; between 

 this and the suborbital spine is an acute outward-pointiug spine not 

 much widened at its base; interorbital concave, its width equal to the 

 length of the eye, 2 in snout; stipraorbital rim prominent. Dorsal 

 ridge of body continuous with occipital and supraorbital spines, joining 

 its fellow of the opposite side posteriorly directly behind the second 

 dorsal, and continued simply on caudal jieduncle; the spines large and 

 strongly hooked back anteriorly, becoming nearly obsolete posteriorly, 

 only traceable on caudal peduncle by the center of each plate on the 

 median line being slightly produced; spines on lateral ridges with 

 stronger spines near middle of l)ody than anteriorly or posteriorly; 2 or 3 

 blunt spines above base of pectoral, indicating an obsolete ridge between 

 lateral ridges; lateral line at end of pectoral fin running along the upper 

 lateral ridge a short distance, and becoming obsolete anteriorly; spines 

 of abdominal ridge low and blunt, nearly obsolete posteriorly, the ridge 

 joining its fellow of the opposite side directly behind base of anal fin and 

 continuing as a single low ridge on caudal peduncle ; a small plate before 

 base of each ventral, a median row of 3 running forward to gill mem- 

 brane, 3 on each side of these, a row around base of pectorals. Origin of 

 dorsal behind the fourth dorsal plate, iucluding the membrane behind, it 

 covers 9 plates; 1 plate between dorsals, the second dorsal covers 8 plates, 

 behind which are 14 plates; the last ray of first and second dorsal and 

 anal connected to the body by a membrane; upper ray of pectoral the 

 longest, reaching to below the ninth or tenth spine of dorsal ridge, the 

 lower rays slightly produced beyond the membrane. Color in spirits, 

 reddish brown above, light below; narrow, irregular, transverse streaks 

 across back and sides, a longitudinal dark bar along each side of base of 

 both dorsals ; a dark streak forward from eye ; margin of spinous dorsal 

 blackish, soft dorsal with a small spot behind, a dark spot on pectoral 

 rays near their base, and some dark bars behind it across rays; anal and 

 ventrals colorless; caudal dusky. Sea of Ochotsk. A single specimen, 

 about 8 inches in length, collected by Captain Blair at Eobben Island. 

 This species is related to P. acipcnserinus and P. gWberti, diflferiug from 

 the former in having fewer and shorter barbels, teeth on jaws obsolete, 

 keel and preopercle larger, dorsal ridges without spines posteriorly, and 

 the spines on the preorbital ridge diil'erent in shape. From the latter in 

 having the body different in shape, not everywhere deeper than wide, but 

 the reverse posteriorly; anal much shorter and lower, no teeth on jaws, 

 and the spines on preorbital ridge better developed and different in shape. 

 (Jordan & Starks.) {veternus, an old man, veteran, in allusion to the want 

 of teeth.) 



PodotJiecus veternuf, Sovd&m & Stakes, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 819, pi. 89, Robben Island. 

 (Coll. Capta^B Blair, 'x'ype presented by Alaska Commercial Company to L. S. Jr. 

 TTniv. Mu8., ISo. 4823-1 



768. AGONUS, Bloch & Schneider. 



Agonus. BtocH & Schneider, Syst. Ichtli., 104, 1801 (cataphractus). 

 Aspidophorvi, Lackpkde, Hi.^t. Nat. Poiss., ni, 221, 1802 {cataphractus). 

 Fhalangistes, Pallas, Zoog. Ilosso-Asiat.,iii, 1811, 113 (cataphractus). 



