3802 Bulletin 4-7, United States National Museum. 



moderately developed, parietal ridges markedly curved; preocular, post- 

 ocular, tympauic, and parietal spines present, mostly thin and sharp; 

 parietal bones meeting; iuterorbital space 4 in base of skull, concave, the 

 Hat center bordered by 2 ridges (the roofs of the mucous canals); the 

 .supraocular ridges forming an elevated border; mesethmoid processes 

 compressed, not elevated, ventral process of basisphenoid partly devel- 

 oped; base of skull strongly curved. Uniform rose-red above, bright sil- 

 very on sides and below, sparsely black punctate, a faint dusky bar 

 behind pectorals; spinous dorsal with dusky margins, the fins otherwise 

 unmarked; peritoneum jet-black. Coast of southern California; many 

 specimens, the largest described 7 inches long, from about the Coronado 

 Islands, in 24 fathoms. (Gilbert.) {biit'koo'i, double; Ttpopa, a prow.) 



liebastiehthys diploproa, Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1890, 79, Coronado Islands, Lat. 32° 

 44' 20" N., Long. 1170 23' W., in 124 fathoms. (Type, No. 48238. Coll. Albatross.) 



Sehatstodes dijdoproa, Cramer, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci., series 2, v, 1895, 596, pi. 61, fig. 13; Gil- 

 bert, Eept. U. S. Fish Comm. 1893 (1896), 467.* 



2204. SEBASTODES AURORA (GUbert). 



Head 2*; depth 2t. D. XIII, 13 or 14; A. Ill, 6; lateral line 29 (pores) ; 

 eye large, 3^ in head, much longer than snout or iuterorbital space. 

 Mouth large, maxillary nearly reaching vertical from posterior margin of 

 orbit, 2i in head, its width equaling diameter of pupil. Mandible, later- 

 ally as well as in front, largely shutting within the wide preuiaxillary 

 band of teeth; bands on vomer and j)alatiues also wide. Preopercular 

 spines regularly radiating, the upper 4 more nearly equal than usual. 

 Preorbital wider, its least width §• pupil, with 2 stiong triangular spines, 

 directed downward and backward. Gill rakers slender, ihe longest little 

 more than ^r eye. Dorsal spines strong, not high, the longest 2i in head, 

 the twelfth about ^ its height; soft rays lower than spines; caudal 

 slightly emargiuate; second anal spine very strong, much longer and 

 stronger than third, and about equaling in length the soft rays, its length 

 about 2i in head; veutrals reaching to or slightly beyond vent; pectorals 

 to front of anal. Scales very rough ctenoid, those of lateral line enlarged, 

 covering breast, branchiostegal rays, mandible, maxillary, and part of 

 snout, everywhere rough. Fins enveloped in a more or less lax mem- 

 brane, invested with fine ctenoid scales. Bones of skull very thin; preoc- 

 ular, supraotulai", postocular, tympanic, parietal, nuchal, and usually 

 coronal spines present, sharp and slender ; ridges moderate ; parietal ridges 

 high, thin; parietal bones not meeting; iuterorbital space narrow, long, 



* Upon these specimens Dr. Gilbert makes the following remarks : 



"All these show the characteristic silvery-white coloration on lower half of sides. 

 There are traces of dark bars on the sides ; 1 on nape and under front of spinous dorsal; 

 2 on sides diverging downward from behind middle of spinous dorsal; 1 under middle of 

 soft dorsal. There are corresponding dusky marks on the tins, that on soft dorsal being 

 a distinct blackish blotch. The projecting lobes of the premaxillaries are evident in the 

 youngest individuals. Fins and spines of head about as in adults. 



" The gill rakers iu this species are 9 or 10 + 23 to 25. The maxillary is 2J to 2J in head. 

 The iuterorbital space is very slightly mort. than J eye. The ventral' tins extend nearly 

 to vent. Pectorals If in head. There is considerable variation iu the direction of the 

 upper preopercular spines, which are directed sometimes straight forward, sometimes 

 obliquely forward iind downward. Lower preorbital spine directed obliquely down- 

 ward and backward." 



