1886.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 467 



rioiiy conflueut so that the tail is nearly plaiu dusky. Belly scarcely 

 paler. No black around gill-opening-. Dorsal and anal chiefly blackish, 

 each with a conspicuous, narrow, pale margin. 



A single specimen obtained on the Snapper Banks by Mr. Stearns. 

 It has little resemblance to Callechelys scuticaris (= C. teres) or to Cal- 

 lechelys hascanium, being much stouter and more like Murcena in form 

 iiiid color. 



2. Steiuegeria rubescens, gen. & sp. nov. {Bramidce). 



Head 2§ in length (3J with caudal); depth 2 (2J). D. XI-I, 18; A. 

 ii, -0; V. I, 5. Scales ca. 50—26. Length (No. 37991, U. S. N. M.) 5 

 inches. 



Body ovate, considerably compressed, the greatest thickness a lit- 

 tle less than half length of head. Anterior of profile from tip of snout 

 to base of dorsal nearly straight. Outline of belly prominent, the 

 axis of body being rather nearer dorsal than ventral outline. Breast 

 and belly not carinate. 



Head but little longer than deep, its upper surface flattish, the bones 

 not very firm. Interorbital space nearly flat, with two ridges, about 

 as broad as eye, which is 3.^^ in head. Preorbital very narrow, some- 

 what cavernous, its edge sharply dentate; snout short, 5 in head. 



Mouth very oblique, the lower jaw strongly projecting, the broad 

 maxillary reaching to below middle of eye, its length half that of the 

 bead. Each jaw with a band of small cardiform teeth, those in front 

 largest, especially in the lower jaw, but all of them small. A band of 

 villiform teeth on each palatine bone, but none on the vomer; premaxil- 

 laries protractile. Lower jaw with conspicuous pores. 



Preopercle forming a nearly even curve, without distinct angle. As- 

 cending limb of preopercle very finely serrulate, with some four or five 

 coarser teeth about the angle. Other opercular bones very thin, with 

 entire edges. Cheeks, opercles, maxillary and top of head closely covered 

 with scales similar to those on rest of body, but a little smaller. 



Gill-rakers rather short and wide apart, 8 or 9 developed on the lower 

 part of the arch, the longest about one third length of eye. 



Body closely covered with membranous scales which are cloeely im- 

 bricated, deeper than long, each with a distinct median keel besides 

 which are some smaller radiating ridges especially on the scales of the 

 sides of the body. These ridges on the scales give the body a rough 

 appearance, although they are not spinigerous. The keels on the scales 

 form continuous ridges giving the whole body a striated appearance. 

 Scales largest on middle of sides, becoming smaller on back and on 

 belly. No distinct lateral line. Fins with few scales or none. 



Dorsal spines very slender and flexible, some of them ending in fila- 

 ments (all more or less mutilated in typical example.) Soft rays sepa- 

 rated from spines by a deep notch extending nearly to base of fin. Soft 

 dorsal elevated, the longest rays about 1^ in head. Caudal lunate, its 



