NO. 1351. scnnp.j^xorD fishes ofja pan— Jordan and starks. 149 



having a narrow channel between the slight interorbital ridges. Sub- 

 orbital plates very wide, covering cheek, a slight ridge along them 

 continuous with ridge from large preopercular spine; the plates other- 

 wise smooth. Opercle with 2 small spines at the ends of slight ridges. 

 Preopercl(> with a long sharp spine and 4 short blunt ones below, the 

 largest forming an angle. rre()r])ital with a pair of small spines ante- 

 riorl}' pointing forward, and a long, sharp, curved spine posteriori}!' 

 which fails to reach the end of the maxillai'v by a distance nearl}^ 

 equal to diameter of pupil. Parietal ridges not bearing spines. From 

 upper posterior border of aye. a slight broken ridge runs to beginning 

 of lateral line. Superior anterior border of eye denticulate. A long 

 tentacle at tip of mandible and one on each side of similar size half the 

 diameter of the eye, behind it. Pseudobranchia^ large; a small slit 

 behind last gill arch; gill-rakers slender, equal to half eye; 14 of them 



Fig. 13. — Apistus venenans. 



below angle of arch. Head entirely naked, except a small patch of 

 scales on cheek l)elow subor})itals and just l)ehind maxillai-y. 



Bodv, breast, and isthmus evenly scaled with soft pectinate scales. 

 Lateral line straight. Fins naked. 



Pectoral reaches to just past ])ase of dorsal or to within a diameter 

 of eye of caudal base; number of rays 10, all branched except a 

 couple of the lowest short ones, the upper ra}^ the longest. Detached 

 pectoral ray If in head. Ventrals reaching to base of second anal 

 spine. Fourth dorsal spine 2| in head; last spine 3 J, ; next to the last 8^. 

 Tips of dorsal rays reach past base of caudal. First anal spine equal 

 in length to the diameter of the eye. the thii'd twice as long, and the 

 second in length midway between. Caudal rounded. 



Color: Lower parts of head and body white, sides of head silvery; 

 back and sides of body uniform light l)rownish. shading gradually to 

 the white of lower parts; abroad dark l)and across topof head, extend- 



