PHILIPPINE MACROUROID FISHES GILBERT AND HUBBS. 483 



tral series consists of 9 (6) scales with strongly divergent, but not 

 radiating, series of erect spinules ; it is bounded on each side by one 

 or two series of scales, which decrease in size anteriorly, and are 

 armed with six or fewer subparallel series of spinules; these series 

 of scales are separated by a narrow scaleless groove from the lat- 

 eral regions of the snout, which are covered by small prickly scales. 

 The scales along the occipital ridges bear a median spinous keel and 

 a few lateral carinae, well developed anteriorly, but obsolescent pos- 

 teriorly; the region between the occipital ridges is covered by 5 

 irregular rows of scales, which are similar to those of the body 

 posteriorly, but are smaller anteriorly. 



The occipital scute, barely apparent, is preceded by a small prickly 

 area; a narrow scute, located just above the origin of the lateral 

 line, bears a strong median spinous crest and one weaker ventral 

 carina. A series of enlarged scales extends forward from the lateral 

 line, each bearing 10 or fewer divergent spinous carinae, of which 

 the median is the strongest; this series is separated from the post- 

 orbital ridge by a series of scales like those of the body, and from 

 the occipital ridge by two irregular rows of small scales. The scales 

 on the opercles are like those of the body ; those below the orbit are 

 reduced in size. 



The under side of the head is wholly naked; the nasal fossa and 

 the concealed portion of the skin over the shoulder girdle are almost 

 completely scaleless. 



The interval between the dorsals is very short, only two-thirds the 

 length of the first dorsal base, which is contained 1.8 times in the 

 postorbital. Length of pectoral, 2.7 in the head (in paratype). 

 The length of the filamentous outer ventral ray, which reaches to 

 the origin of the anal, is contained 2.7 (2.65) times into the head; 

 the inner ventral rays, which do not nearly reach the anus, are con- 

 tained 3.7 times in the head. 



The ground color in alcohol is light brown, replaced by silvery 

 white over the entire region of the body cavity, with the exception 

 of a dark bar joining the ventral bases, and crossing the black streak 

 described in connection with the -anus and the ventral fossa. The 

 under side of the head is light and punctuate ; sides and top of head, 

 grayish brown, shading to darker on the snout, especially toward its 

 anterolateral margins, on the median rostral ridge, and on the an- 

 terior and posterior margins of the nasal fossa. Two dark brown 

 streaks radiate backward from the eye, the lower one extending to 

 the angle of the preopercular ridge, while the upper one, more con- 

 spicuous, extends horizontally backward, just below the postorbital 

 scaly ridge, to the upper angle of the branchial aperture, where it is 

 continuous with the dusky opercular blotch. The area around the 



