328 EEVIEW OF SPECIES OF PKIONOTUS. 



opercular spiuo with a smaller one at its base ; head 

 2^ iu length. D. x-12, A. 11. Body with four faint 

 cros^s-bauds ; caudal with black tip, and two paler 

 cross-shades; spinous dorsal with small dark spots 

 besides the larye one, soft dorsal plain ; pectorals 



clouded. J ( Goode &. Bean) Alatus, 1. 



cc. Pectoral fins rather short, not reaching last ray of anal and not more than 

 half the length of the body; one or two small spinules 

 on lower edge of preopercle, below the preopercular 

 spiue. 



d. Preopercular spine with a smaller one at its base ; pectorals reaching past 

 middle of anal, their length not quite half the body ; 

 gill-rakers rather long and slender, about 10 devel- 

 oped ; maxillary, 2| in head; a bluntish spine on 

 edge of snout behind the serrje ; behind this, one 

 or two smaller ones, at least iu the young ; no spine 

 on cheek bone; groove behind the eye evident; in- 

 terorbital area rather narrow, concave ; preocular, 

 supraocular, occipital and nuchal spines rather prom- 

 inent. Dorsal spines high, the third 2^ iu head ; first 

 spine not serrate ; caudal truncate. Head, 2f in 

 length; depth, 2^; D. x-12, A. 12. Pores about 50. 

 Back obscurely spotted. Dorsal and caudal fins 

 spotted with brown, the first dorsal with a black 

 blotch besides ; the pectoral with obscure dark spots, 

 and margined with blue " Punctatus, 2. 



dd. Preopercular spine with no smaller one at its base in front ; pectoral fin 

 short, reaching little past front of anal, its length 

 less than half the body ; gill-rakers of moderate 

 length, about 10 developed ; no spine on cheek bone 

 or on sides of snout. D. x-18, A. 12. 

 e. Body not very slender, the depth 5 in length; head not very small, its 

 length 3 in body ; groove across top of head behind 

 eye, very conspiciious ; interorbital area moderately 

 concave, lather broad, about equal to diameter of 

 eye ; bones of head comparatively smooth, the pre- 

 ocular, postocnlar, occipital and nuchal spines low, 

 depressed ; temporal ridge conspicuous, without 

 spines. Dorsal spines low, the second 2^ in head, 

 the first moderately serrate ; base of soft dorsal 

 equal to distance from lip of snout to tip of humeral 

 spine; caudal fin lunate, its outer rays i to i longer 

 than inner; pectoral fin somewhat rounded, the 

 longest ray about the fifth ; free rays of pectoral ex- 

 panded toward tip, with decurrent membrane ; scales 

 rather large ; about 58 pores. Body and fins nearly 

 plain, mottled with darker, but without well-de- 

 fined spots except ihe dorsal ocellus ; back with four 

 obscure cross-blotches ; two or three oblique pale 

 streaks across spinous dorsal. Gill-membranes dusky. 

 Young with head rougher, pectoral fins shorter, 

 dark spots on body more distinct. .. .Carolinus, 3. 

 ee. Body very slender, the depth about 6^ in length ; head short, 3f in length ; 

 groove across top of head behind eye, little conspic- 

 uous ; interorbital area narrow, deeply concave; its 



