184 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



upper juw to form three series, the outer premaxillary series either 

 larger or smaller than the inner series; teeth of inner mandibular 

 series always enlarged, the outer series close to the inner series, as in 

 Nematonurus. Six branchiostegals ; gill membranes with a wide free 

 fold ; width of slit before first arch 1.6 to 1.7 in orbit, the slit behind 

 last arch 2 to 2.5 ; gill-rakers tubercular. 



Seven scales in a series from the origin of the second dorsal to the 

 lateral line, 18 or 19 in a series from origin of anal to lateral line, 

 counted obliquely forward and upward, exclusive of the lateral line 

 scale. Scales on back and sides with 7 to 10 strongly divergent 

 ridges, armed with retrorse spinules, the last of which does not pro- 

 ject beyond the margin of the scale; those on belly smaller, with 3 to 

 5 ridges. Under side of head completely scaled excepting the gular 

 and branchiostegal membranes. Nasal fossa less than half as long 

 as orbit, and naked, with the exception of a few scales near its an- 

 terior end. Inner edge of shoulder girdle with cycloid scales near 

 outer margin. The scales of the head are considerably differentiated 

 in certain areas, and along the ridges, but are apparently not so 

 highly differentiated as in Coelorhynchus. Those on the occipital 

 ridges are little modified anteriorly, bearing about 5 divergent ridges, 

 but become stronger posteriorly, the median ridge forming a strong 

 keel, the lateral ones smaller, entirely obsolete on some scales ; those 

 on top of head with 3 to 7 divergent spinous ridges, becoming smaller 

 anteriorly, being scarcely more than prickles between the indistinct 

 rostral groove and the anterolateral margin of snout; median superior 

 rostral ridge with a series of subquadrate scales, widening posteriorly, 

 each armed with about ten rows of spinules radiating from near the 

 center of the scale, the last spine pointed posteriorly ; those on the 

 lower half of cheeks, and on the under side of the head, similar to 

 those on the belly, not being so greatly reduced as in Coelorhynchus; 

 suborbital ridge sharp, accompanied above Ijy one row of small scales 

 before pupil, becoming smaller anteriorly, and by two series of large 

 irregular scales from below pupil to preopercle ; those on opercle and 

 preopercle enlarged, bearing 7 to 12 ridges. 



Twenty-nine and 31 pyloric caeca were counted in two southern 

 specimens, and 29 in one nortl:^ern specimen, the longest in each case 

 shorter than the orbit. 



Anus preceded by an oval black scaleless fossa. A large glandular 

 body is located in the body wall, above this fossa. A similar fossa is 

 found in some species of Coelorhynchus., in Malacoce'phalus^ and in 

 some species of the large genus Lionurus. 



Color light brown, underlaid with silvery on the lower half of 

 trunk and head, belly somewhat darker; ventrals blackish; other fins 

 duslcy, the first dorsal blackish near tips of rays. Young lighter in 



