1888.1 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 557 



emR The cue supporting the first two rays is formed by two inter- 

 neural bones united by a thin bony plate, which forms no expansion in 

 front of the first aud bat a narrow one behind the second. Upon the 

 first vertebra is a broad, irregular surface for the reception of the first 

 interneural bone. " The transverse processes of the first vertebra are 

 broadly expanded iuferiorly, and their lower edges united by a suture 

 to a pair of large bony plates of complex form, connecting the air- 

 bladder with the back of the skull." (Lockington.) From the anterior 

 margin of each neurapophysis of the nest eight or nine vertebne, and 

 resting upon the zygopophysis of the preceding vertebra, spring pro- 

 cesses which are directed upward aud forward; these in the first three 

 vertebra; form arches surmounted by spines which are about half as 

 long as the iuterneural spine. These processes diminish in size on each 

 successive vertebra. 



The following is a description of the species. Body stout, elongated, 

 compressed posteriorly, anterior outline iu a slightly convex line from 

 tip of snout to occiput, where commences a prominent hump, which 

 reaches its greatest height at a distance from the occiput about equal 

 to the length of the snout, aud thence descends in a straight line. Ven- 

 tral outliue from mouth to anal fin almost straight. Head small, elon- 

 gate, conical, top of head 2i times in distance (in a straight line) from 

 tip of snout to front of dorsal; snout 2£ in head; eye small, 3 iu snout, 

 7 r ^ in head; width of preorbital 3 iu its length; mouth rather wide, 

 inferior; upper lip with two rows of papilla?, lower lip rather small, iu 

 two distinct fleshy ovoid lobes, with about eight rows of low, flat- 

 topped papilla- ; width of opercle about 3 in head; distance from pos- 

 terior margin of eye to posterior margin of opercle equals distance from 

 center of eye to tip of snout; posterior margins of opercle and sub- 

 opercle form a continuous, bold, couvex curve. 



Dorsal low aud long, its margin incised, thirl ray midway between 

 tip of snout and base of caudal fin ou lateral line, its base 1£ in length 

 of head, second ray longest, which is 1£ iu its base and twice length of 

 last ray. Veutrals falcate, anterior insertion opposite middle of dorsal, 

 reaching to within J of their leugth of the vent; their longest ray (3d) 

 about 2 in head, and twice length of last. Anal short and reaching to 

 rudimentary rays of caudal, its longest ray contained 1£ in head. Cau- 

 dal broad aud strong, forked about £ its length; caudal peduncle stout, 

 compressed, widening considerably toward the caudal base, least depth 

 2£ in its length, measured ou lateral line ; longest ray about 11 in head ; 

 rudimentary rays well developed. Pectorals lanceolate, placed low, 

 reaching to near front of pubic bones, their longest ray equal to that of 

 dorsal. Scales cycloid, variable iu size, longer than high, scarcely im- 

 bricated. Largest scales of body upon the peduncle of the tail, being 

 almost twice as long as high. Ridge of dorsal hump without scales. 

 Lateral line decurved near its origiu, theu running ou the median line 

 of the body to the caudal fin. 



