650 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.59. 



VESPOSUS EGREGIUS, new species. 



Type.—(Csit. No. 84098 U.S.N.M.); length, 13* inches; head, 3f in 

 length; depth, 1-^; dorsal rays, X-I-34; anal, 111-38; ventral, 

 I, 6; pectoral, 15; caudal, 15; scales, about 118; dorsal scutes, 38; 

 anal scutes, 36. 



Body broad, ovate or pear-shaped in outline, strongly compressed, 

 its thickness less than one-tenth its length. Head rather small, a 

 little longer than deep, the anterior profile even, nearly straight to 

 the elevated nape, which forms an even curve with the back, fol- 

 lowed by a very weak even curve to base of caudal peduncle. Anal 





Fig. 5. — Vesposus egregius, new species. 



beginning behind middle of spinous dorsal and ending just behind it; 

 base of anal nearly straight, ascending obliquely. 



Eye very large, 2§ in head, longer than the short blunt snout; 

 top of head very short, the groove for the protractile premaxillary 

 lying between very rough, rugose supraocular bones; preorbital 

 very short, broad, rugose, with rough radiating ridges; maxillary 

 slipping under it; length of upper jaw about 6 in head; mouth very 

 small, very oblique, the jaws equal, the mandible not quite reach- 

 ing front of eye, 3 in head, its angles very rough with small serra- 

 tions, as are all prominent bones about head. Preopercle with two 

 ridges, both finely and evenly serrate, the anterior ridge roughest, 

 the teeth coarser below; posterior limb vertical, the anterior hori- 

 zontal, the two forming a rounded angle; region of cheeks rec- 

 tangular, nearly twice as long as deep. Opercle rather short, with- 



