2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 63, 



tractile, its tip just below level of eye ; maxillary extending to oppo- 

 site middle of pupil, slipping entirely under the membranous edge 

 of the moderate preorbital, which is a little wider than pupil and 

 with about three rows of scales; lower jaw somewhat included; jaws 

 with minute, even, pointed teeth; slight deciduous asperities on 

 vomer and palatines, perhaps not teeth; one toothlike appendage 

 found in the gullet, but this and other structures are so weak and 

 fragile that the extent of this type of dentition could not be ascer- 

 tained. Eye moderate, about equal to snout; cheek long, opercl& 

 large, extremely thin and fragile, crossed by four or five rather 

 conspicuous radiating spriae. All the bones of the head covered by 

 very thin cycloid scales, like those on the body, but somewhat smaller; 

 about 15 in an oblique series across cheek downward and backward 

 from the eye. 



Gill openings wide, the membranes not connected, free from the 

 isthmus; pseudobranchiae present. Branchiostegals 7; gill rakers 

 long and slender, about three-fourths diameter of eye. Gills 4, a 

 short slit behind the last. 



Scales very small, thin, soft and smooth, covering the body evenly, 

 those below slightly reduced ; scales extending high on the bases of 

 each of the vertical fins. Lateral line faint, with a slight curvature 

 behind the end of the pectoral, not extending on caudal fin. 



Dorsal fin continuous, very low, rising slowly from the first (spine) 

 to the last ray, its insertion about midway between base of ventrals 

 and vent, its rays all very soft and slender, most of them apparently 

 articulate, about 10 of the anterior unbranched; the spines and soft 

 rays entirely similar. Anal like dorsal but shorter, beginning very 

 near middle of body (without caudal) and ending just in front of 

 last dorsal ray, its first three rays simple. Caudal fin broad, fan- 

 shaped, rounded behind, the accessory rays numerous. (The tip of 

 the fin is broken in both the type and the specimen now described so 

 that its exact form is uncertain, but it can not have been forked.) 

 Pectorals short and rounded, scaly at base - ventrals short and small, 

 inserted below axil of pectoral, not adnate to the belly and not 

 depressible in a groove. No spinules on any of the fins. Vent nor- 

 mal, close to the anal fin. 



Bones of the skeleton all soft and flexible, so that the body is as 

 limp as a wet rag, and every part very fragile. For this reason, 

 I have not opened this example, but in the original type we found 

 six long pyloric coeca, and no evident air-bladder. 



Color everywhere dusky, the head and back with fine dark punc- 

 tulations; base and margin of each of the vertical fins pale, the 

 mesial part black ; inside of mouth dark. 



It is plain that this genus is allied to the Japanese genus Icticus 

 and to ScJiedofTiilus, two pelagic genera in which the body is equally 



