1434 Bulletin ^7, United States National Muscujn. 



Homoprion xanthurus, Holbrook, Icb. S. Car., Ed. 1, 170, i>l. 24, 1856 (uot LHostomxis xan- 



thunis, LACEPi:DE) . 

 Homoprion mihtruncaHi.i, Gli.L, Cat. Fisli. E. Coast IT. S.,33, 1861, South Carolina; after 



HoLBKOOK. 

 Gorvina argyroleuca, Cuviek & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, loo, 1830; (JOnther, 



Cat., II, 2!)9, 1860. 

 I}aircliella punctata, Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1878, 377. 

 liairdiella argyroleuca, GoODE, Proc. TJ. S. Nat. Mus. 1879, 113. 

 Scicena 2)unctata, Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. TJ. S. Nat. Mus. 1882,280; Jordan & Gilbert, 



Synopsis, 570, 1883. 

 Scimna chrygura, Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. IT. S. Nat. Muh. 1882, 60G ; Jordan & Gilbert, 



Synopsis, 933, 1883. 

 Bairdiellachrymra, Goode, Hist. Aquat. Aiiim., 375, pi. 126, 1884 ; Jordan & Eioenmann, 



I. c, 386, 1889. 



1815. BAIRDIELLA ENSIFEBA (Jordan & Gilbert). 



Head 3^ to 3^; depth 3i to 3^; eye 3f in liead; snout 5. D. X-I 22; A. 

 II, 8; scales 8-49-9. Body compressed, moderately elongate, the back 

 little elevated; snout short, bluntish, not protruding, the profile nearly 

 straight and not very steep to base of first dorsal, along the base of which 

 it is nearly horizontal, thence again declining along base of soft dorsal ; 

 ventral outline nearly straight to front of anal, then very sharply angu- 

 lated, the base of the anal very oblique ; caudal peduncle long and slender. 

 Profile depressed above head; head moderate, compressed with vertical 

 cheeks; preorbital very narrow, narrower thanpuj)il; snout not projecting 

 so far as premaxillaries; premaxillaries in front on the level of lower part 

 of pupil; maxillary extending to opposite middle of pupil ; mouth very 

 oblique; the jaws nearly even in front, the lower very slightly included, 

 the gap 2^ in head. Teeth slender, small, those in upper jaw in 2 or 3 

 series, the outer series enlarged; most of the teeth depressible; lower 

 teeth une([ual, chiefiy biserial, the inner enlarged; symphysis of lower 

 jaw with a slight inwardly projecting knob, bearing teeth a little larger 

 than the others. Chin with 4 distinct pores, the outer pair round. Inter- 

 orbital space moderate, slightly convex, a little broader than length of 

 snout, 4 in head. Eye very large, considerably longer than snout. Pre- 

 opercle with strong teeth, which grow stronger toward the angle, the 

 lowest tooth very strong and directed downward and forward; opercu- 

 lar spines blunt and iiattish; gill rakers numerous, long and slender,^ 

 length of eye, 8-f 16 in number; scales roughish, extending up on soft 

 portions of vertical fins, covering about i of the soft dorsal and more 

 of the anal. Lateral line not strongly curved, becoming straight in 

 front of anal. First dorsal high, its spines slenderer than in B. armata, 

 stouter than in 7i. icistla, the second spine short, slender, very stout, I- 

 the length of the third, which is If in length of head. Soft dorsal rather 

 high, its longest rays a little less than i head. Caudal subtruucate, the 

 middle and upper rays slightly produced, its length 1^ in head. Distance 

 from front of anal to caudal 3f in length of body; abdomen extremely 

 long, its length ^ greater than length of head; posterior outline of anal 

 fin concave, its second spine very long and strong, scarcely shorter 

 than soft rays, its length 1^ in head, its distance from the vent | its 



