12 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL, MUSEUM. vol.63 



But few species of Str'ongylura are known from Polynesia, and in 

 the region where our specimen was obtained only S. gigantae (Schle- 

 gel) and S. chorani (Forkal) are known. 



(For the Island of Tahiti.) 



STRONGYLURA AULOCEPS, new species. 



Head about 3; depth If in pogtocular region; D. ii, 21; A. ii, 20; 

 P. I, 13; V. I, 5: scales about 300 from shoulder to caudal base medi- 

 ally and 15 more on latter; about 218 predorsal scales to head; end 

 of frontal process to eye 3-^ in rest of beak, width equals its length; 

 eye about 3 in postocular; interorbital 1'^. Body subcylindrical. sur- 

 face apparently rounded or evenly convex, caudal peduncle com- 

 pressed, width about half its least depth and latter about \^^ in eye. 

 Head with flattened sides moderately constricted below, widtli 1§ in 

 postocular. Jaws not completely closing for at least basal two-lifths 

 oi beak. Eye close to upper profile and combined with postocular 

 1| in beak. Maxillary concealed, extends slightly beyond front eye 

 edge though not quite to pupil. Moderately wide band of outer small 

 sharp-pointed teeth, row of inner larger close-set, thougli more so 

 toward base of beak. Triangular nasal cavity slightly longer than 

 pupil. Broad interorbital about level. Very shallow wide median 

 depression extends to occiput and with slight median ridge. Distinct 

 depression at postocular each side and another each side of occiput. 

 Squamous area on occiput extending forward barely half waj* to eyes. 

 Gill-opening extends forward to front nasal cavity edge. Very few 

 slightly rudimentary tubercles substitute for gill-rakers, (iill-fila- 

 ments about half of eye. Scales very small, crowded, largely ad- 

 herent and not on dorsal or anal, though cover caudal base com- 

 pletely. Scales with 32 to -44 usually complete circuli. Cheeks with 

 19 scales to preopercle ridge, beyond which none extend. Slight 

 branch from lateral line extends upward toward pectoral base, but 

 without any keel along side of caudal peduncle. Dorsal origin 

 slightly behind anal origin, at last third between pectoral origin and 

 caudal base, front lobe of fin apparently not much over tAvo-fifths its 

 entire length. Anal similar, though base of last ray distant from 

 caudal base at least for space equal to that betAveen hind eye edge 

 and preopercle ridge. Caudal (danuiged) apparently moderately 

 (Muarginate. Pectoral (damaged) about long as postocular. upper- 

 most ray moderately large. Ventral inserted about midway be- 

 tAveen hind eye edge and caudal base, fin 1-J in postocular. though 

 reaches more tlian halfAvay to A'ent, itot quite halfAvay to anal. 



Color in alcohol : Faded dull brownish generally. Sides and lowei" 

 surfaces with traces of silvery. Fins all brownish. 



Length, 485 mm. (end of beak and caudal damaged). 



