207G Bulletin //, United States National Museum. 



ends of the rostrum can barely be seen from below. A few i^rickles present 

 on upper side of rostrum, and the usual series above pupil. Minutely ser- 

 rated ridges on sides of snout, and 1 below eye. No prickles on top or 

 sides of head. Plates on branchiostegal membranes and on gular region 

 smaller and more numerous than in S. frenaius. Twenty plates on breast, 

 without spines, or the young with Aa^ry small ones. Color darker than in 

 S. frenatus, the under parts unmarked anteriorly, dotted posteriorly with 

 brown; upjier parts dark brown in spirits, with 6 or 7 more or less dis- 

 tinct black bands, which are margined narrowly with lighter; a black 

 streak forward from eye, and several black spots and blotches on sides 

 of head; caudal blackish; soft dorsal dusky, obscurely marked with 

 lighter; Bjjinous dorsal black, sharply blotched with pure white; ventrals 

 and lower pectoral rays white, the upper part of pectorals with obscure 

 bars of black. Coast of Alaska. A few specimens from Albatross Sta- 

 tions 3215, 3219, 3259, and 3267, north and south of the Alaskan Peninsula, 

 in 32 to 59 fathoms. (Gilbert.) (AcTrroj, slender; pvyxoc,, snout.) 



Odontopyxis leptorhynchns, Gn.BERT, Kept. U. S. Fisli Comm. 1893 (1896), 437, Bering 

 Sea, north of Alaska Peninsula, at Albatross Station 3267, lat. 55'' 23' 30" N., long. 

 163° 29' W. (Type, No. 48727. Coll. Albatrotis.y 



772. XYSTES, Jordan & Starks. 

 Xystcs, Jordan & Starks, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 824 (axinophrys). 



This genus is allied to Avennmcus, differing in its shorter vertical fins, 

 the rays of both dorsals being subequal, the last of each not much shortened 

 and not adnate by membrane to the skin of the back; the lower rays of 

 the pectoral progressively shortened; plates on body very rough, the 

 spines strong ; a strong knife-like spine above eye ; no barbels ; no pit at 

 the occiput. North Pacific. {zV(jr7/<;, one that scrapes.) 



2421. XYSTES AXINOPHRYS, Jordan & Starks. 



Head 3^ in length of body; depth 5. D. IX, 8; A. 10; pectoral 15; 

 lateral line 38; orbit 4 in head; snout to tip of rostral spines 3^; max- 

 illary 3^; interorbital 3^; pectoral 1^; highest dorsal spine 2i; highest 

 dorsal ray 2 ; highest anal ray 2f ; length of caudal fin l^. Body elongate, 

 subcylindrical, deepest and broadest at shoulders; belly prominent; 

 dorsal outline straight from first dorsal spine to caudal fin, curved up 

 anterioi-ly to occiput. Head very irregular, much broken by large si)ines; 

 mouth inferior, rather broad, maxillary reaching to the vertical from front 

 of orbit; lips thin, not broken up into papilhe; upper jaw protractile; 

 teeth small, in villiform bands on jaws, vomer, and palatines; the anterior 

 edge of piemaxillary directly under the base of rostral spines; a few very 

 small blunt papilhe behind chin, a barbel at end of maxillary, not I so 

 long as diameter of pupil. A pair of sharp rostral spines pointing 

 forward and upward; behind these a pair of curved spines pointing 

 upward, outward, and backward; between these and behind the rostral 

 spines an almost circular pit which is entirely occupied by the upper 

 end of the premaxillary process; interorbital wide and concave, a slight 

 median ridge, running from the rostral pit to a point above pupil, each 



