240 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. XXVII. 



of preopercle, 1 on suborbital stay, 1 near tip of maxillaiy, a cleft fila- 

 ment near opercular ano^le, and a series of 4 filaments along- middle of 

 lateral line; anterior nostrils in a short tuVje; gill membranes wideh^ 

 joined across the throat, entirel}^ free from isthmus. Lateral line rising 

 in a high convex curve anteriorly, the curved and straight portions 

 equal; along its course is a series of 44 plates, with the upper edge 

 free and spinous, large along the curved portion of the line, but dimin- 

 ishing rapidly in size posteriorly, the free edge becoming smooth or 

 nearly so; a series of much smaller but similar plates lies along base 

 of dorsal, extending halfway along back of caudal peduncle, widening 

 under anterior half of spinous dorsal to form a band which nearly tills 

 the space between dorsal and lateral line; skin otherwise entirely naked. 

 Dorsal beginning a pupiTs diameter behind occiput. Spines very 

 slender, the anterior ones highest, each crowned with a membrana- 

 ceous flap wdiich is digitately cleft; the third spine longest, one-half 

 length of head; the last spine about two-fifths the third and one-half 



^ , ■ ■■ -r' r- 



^><" 



^^%s\\\\\^'^ ^ 



Fig. : 



-ARCHISTES I'lAMAKlrs. 



the succeeding short ray; pectoral rays all simple, the lower thickened 

 with incised membranes, the longest rays reaching vertical from third 

 anal ray; ventrals narrow, reaching front of anal when declined; vent 

 immediately behind ventral fins, the long anal papilla reaching front 

 of anal fin when declined. Color in spirits, light g-rayish olive, a series 

 of 5 irregular quadrate blotches along the back, usually connected at 

 their lower margins; middle of sides with dusky marblings, from the 

 lower edge of which a series of 7 V-shaped black blotches descend 

 toward lower outline; the dusky marking of sides inclosing small round 

 spots of ground color; an oblique dark bar on snout and a black l)lotch 

 on lower portions of cheek; interopercle and upper branchiostegals 

 with cross series of black spots; pectoral with a large dark ])lotch and 

 indistinct cross bars on the raj^s; anal crossed by oblique dark bars; 

 caudal indistinctly cross-barred; dorsals dusky, without definite pattern; 

 ventrals plain. Length 3 inches. Ushishir Island, of the Kuril Group; 

 only the tvpe known. (Jordan and Gilbert.) 

 {plumarius^ feathery.) 



