1888.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 147 



at their posterior ends being greater than their length, or about two- 

 fifths length of head ; mouth but little oblique. Eye small, U in snout, 

 4:| in head, twice the interorbital space. Teeth in a narrow baud in 

 each jaw, those in upper largest. Pseudobranclme in seven tufts, well 

 developed. Gill-rakers short and flexible, rudimentary on all but first 

 arch. First dorsal of six rather weak spines, their length about three- 

 fifths that of head ; origin of first dorsal over middle of pectorals, dis- 

 tance from snout equals 1£ times length of head. Distance between 

 dorsals less than diameter of eye. Origin of second dorsal in most speci- 

 mens examined a little nearer tip of snout that base of caudal. Pec- 

 torals moderate, 1^ in l*ead, their tips reaching past middle of spinous 

 dorsal. Ventrals inserted below pectorals, about equal to them in 

 length, reaching more than half way to origin of anal. Beginning of 

 anal immediately below that of second dorsal; the two fins are of almost 

 equal length, the anal extending a little nearer the caudal ; the anal 

 fin is less high than the dorsal. The caudal fin is quite long, two times 

 in length of body in largest specimens, _Ji in smaller ones, its relative 

 length increasing with age. Entire head scaleless, predorsal region 

 with small scales; body covered with close-set ctenoid scales, small and 

 greatly crowded anteriorly, toward the caudal fin growing gradually 

 larger and more strongly ctenoid, but fine rows of scales in a transverse 

 series on the caudal ; peduncle tins naked. 



General color light-yellowish, palest below, upper parts darker; sides 

 with a series of fine rather distinct black blotches; the first is under 

 the first dorsal, the second under origin of second dorsal, the third, 

 which is sometimes almost double, at about the middle of the second 

 dorsal, the fourth near its posterior end, while the last and largest 

 is at the base of the caudal. There is a large black spot upon each 

 shoulder just above the origin of the pectoral fin; head plain, inclining 

 to dark above; lips with a little dark; maxillary dark; opercie with a 

 dark blotch. Dorsal fins with a few dark spots; anal unmarked; pec- 

 torals dotted with dark brown ; ventrals plain; caudal crossed by six or 

 seven dark zig-zag bars. 



This species is related to G. sagittula (Guuther), from which it differs 

 chiefly in the longer tail, smaller scales, smaller eye, and in coloration, 

 especially in the presence of the large blotches upon the body and the 

 markings of the fins. 



It may be readily distinguished from G. oceankus Pallas, by the some- 

 what shorter caudal, the wider and more depressed head, the greater 

 width of space between rami of the mandible, and the absence of the 

 black spots upon the first dorsal spine. 



About forty specimens of this species, varying in length from G cm to 

 15 cm , were takeu in a small shallow arm of the bay near Guayinas. 



II. Gillichthys y-cauda, sp. uov. (Type, No. 39637, U. S. N. M.) 



Head 3£ (4) ; depth 7 (8) ; eye 34; D. V— 1G ; A. 15 ; Lat. 1. about 50, 

 about 18 iu transverse series ; B. 5. 



