NO. 1358. 



JAPANESE SCULPINS— JORDAN AND STARKS. 



249 



back of caudiil peduncle, where it is continuous witli the hand of the 

 o[)positc side, the h)wer phites of the )>and in a detinite lenj^thwise 

 series and as laroe as those of hiteral line or slightly larger, the other 

 plates of tiic band decreasing- ra})idly in size toward base of fin, where 

 they are minute. They are partially arranged in series running 

 ol)lic]uely upward and backward from the lower larger plates to the 

 bases of the dorsal rays, on which they extend for at least one-half 

 the height of ray. Dorsal spint^s with minute spinous i)lates e-xtend- 

 ing- almost or quite to their tips. The snout, top of head, nape, sub- 

 orbital ring, opercles, and cheek above the suborbital stay covered 

 with nunute plates similar to the upper part of dorsal band, with 

 wdiich the invested area on top of head is continuous; sides below 

 lateral line naked, except for a few plates behind axil. Dorsals divided 

 to the base, the last spine extremely short, its membrane joining 

 extreme base of the first soft ray; spinous dorsal low, of slender weak 

 spines, the longest ray oiu>-third length of head; longest soft ra}' 2\ in 



Fig. 7. — SxELGiSTKU.ir ste.inegeki. 



head; anal beginning under thii-d ra}' of soft dorsal, ending under its 

 fourteenth ray; caudal peduncle slender, its least width one-third its 

 length; pectorals broad and short, all simple, the lower thickened with 

 moderately incised membranes, the eighth to the tenth rays the longest, 

 extending beyond vertical from origin of anal; ventrals not reaching 

 vent, 2{r in head. Ground color light grayish olive; lower part of 

 sides regularly reticulated with narrow dusk}' lines; a dusky cross bar 

 from base of posterior dorsal spines and forward to axil; a second 

 nuich ])roader ))ar from front of soft dorsal, ending irregularly l)elow, 

 where it merges into the reticulating lines; a third broad bar, less 

 clearly derined, under posterior portion of soft dorsal; a conspicuous 

 broad V-shaped blotch at })ase of caudal, the apex directed forward; a 

 faint dark streak from eye forward to tip of luandible. and a cross 

 bar l)i'hind eyes, continued fainth' on to cheek; spinous dorsal with a 

 small dark spot on anterior and 1 on posterior spines; rays of soft 

 dorsal and caudal with dusky markings so arranged as to form tine 

 Proc. N. M. vol. xxvii— 03 17 



