.ul,. X 

 1801 



'/•] rKOCKHDIXCS OF Till: NA'IIONAL Mlsr.lM. r)65 



Eye larj^o, itsiially loiij^cr than snout,.") to .T;- in licad ; snout ."(A t») 

 3'|| ; interorbital width about Hi. Nostrils with a short inconsi)ii*uous 

 tube. ^landible and prcoperculai- hordor with drcp pitlike excava- 

 tions, which arc not evident in t'resli specinuiis ; no evi<lent niueons 

 pores on head. 



dill openiufTS wide, extendin<; below base of ju^ctorals, the frill 

 membranes Joined to isthnnis lor a distance e(pialiii<i; two-tilths len',ftli 

 of slit. Gill rakers very short, almost tubercular, but eomitrcssed and 

 slightly' movable, about lifteen i)reseiit on anterior lind> of outer arch. 

 A wide slit behind fourth j,'ill. 



Distance from orijiin of dorsal to tip of snout 4A to 4^ in lenj^th. 

 The dorsal rays are simply forked, the divisions remaining; closely con- 

 nected. Distance from origin of anal to tip of snout eipials one-third 

 the len^xth. 



Ventrals short, inserted under middle of opercle. Tectorals deeply 

 notched in both younjj and adults, the median rays much shorter than 

 either upper or lower. The lobe produced by the elongate lower rays 

 varies in length, being; sometimes shorter than upper lobe, sometimes 

 longer. The rays of lower lobe are thickened, and undoubtedly serve 

 as a support to the lish when resting on the bottom, as has been «)b- 

 served in so many other forms. The i)ectoruls contain twenty or twenty- 

 one rays. In the structure of this tin tliei>resent species seems to ditVcr 

 from all previously described forms, with the exception of 7>. rswarhi, 

 in w hich the notched condition of the tin does not persist in the adnlrs. 



Scales Bmall, embedded, covering entire body and vertical tins. Tlie 

 scales on nape are much reduced in size, and in two specimens (11 A and 

 Ih inidies long) are continued onto occiput, which they entirely cover. 

 In another specimen, 1) inches long, the occiput is naked, and in one ."> 

 inclies long the anterior i)art of najjc is likewise naked. In the latter, 

 as in otluT spociiueus, tho dorsal and anal are well scaled. 



Lateral line single, wavy, extending from above gill slit obliqmdy 

 downwards to near base of anal, along: which it is continued for a 

 variable distance, not reaching' base of caudal. 



Color. — Dusky brownish, blue-black on belly, anil along .'\nterior i)or- 

 tion of base of anal. Ijght or nine narrow white bars on sides, most con- 

 spicuous in the young, in which they are continiu'd up on tlorsal tin. and 

 become forkctl below on miildle of si«les, forming Ash;ipcd marks. In 

 adults, these bars become faint, or wholly disappear. When present, 

 thev are not continue«l on ilorsal. and are usually verti<^ally divided 

 by a streak of tho ground color. In the small specimen there is a dis- 

 tinct black blotch on margin of anterior dorsal rays. In adults, tlu- 

 vertical fins are brownish on basal ])ortion, their distal half black. 

 Pectorals and ventrals deep blue-black. Mouth, gill cavity, and jicri- 

 toneum, dusky or black. 



Several specimens, from Stations 2S!H,*, LNIKI, ;?t)(»7, and3(H7, in dt-i)tlis 

 from S2 to 37G fathoms, otV the coasts of ralifornia and Oregon. 



