200 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 56. 



lobes about equal, 2f to 2| in combined head and trunk. Pectoral 

 short, pointed. If in head. Ventral inserted shghtly before spinous 

 dorsal, If to 2^ in pectoral. Color in alcohol with silvery-white 

 reflections, back dusky with dark bluish tint, lower surfaces Avhitish. 

 Fins largely dull brown, dorsal and anal front tips black. Each 

 caudal lobe largely dusk}' above and below, leaving hind edge 

 broadly paler. Pectoral axil dusk}^, fin like ventral, with somewhat 

 yeUowish-brown tint. Six examples, 163 to 334 mm. 



These agree with a series of 19 Italian examples of all ages. 

 Rakers and scales fewer in young than in adidts, and scale stnicture 

 identical in all. 



SERRANELLUS ATRICAUDA (GUnther). 



Head, 2§; depth, 3§ to 3^; D. X, 15, i; A. Ill, 8, i; scales along 

 and just above lateral line to caudal base, 120 to 126 and 12(?) to 

 18 on latter; pores in lateral line 73 to 80 to caudal base and 3 or 4 

 more on latter; 10 scales above lateral line, 28 to 30 below; predorsal 

 scales 28 to 34; snout 3f to 3§ in head measured from upper jaw tip; 

 eye, 5 to 5§; maxillary, 2 J to 2^; interorbital, 5§ to 6f. Body com- 

 pressed, rather fusiform. Head well compressed. Snout about 

 broad as long. Eye advanced, hind edge about midway in head 

 length. MaxUlary to eye center, expansion 1| in eye. Mouth 

 large, lower jaw slightly projecting. Strong canines in front of 

 jaws and along mandible sides. Nostrils close, front one nearly 

 half an eye-diameter before eye. Interorbital flattened. Preopercle 

 edge finely serrated, serrae but shghtly coarser below. Rakers, v 3 

 + 11 II or III, lanceolate, long as filaments, or 2^ in eye. Pseud- 

 obranchiae about § of gill-filaments. Scales finely ciliated, with 6 

 to 12 basal striae. Cheek with 18 rows of scales. Muzzle, interor- 

 bital, preorbital and top of head naked. Fourth dorsal spine 

 longest, 2§ to 3 in head. Soft dorsal inserted little nearer caudal 

 base than eye, front rays little longer, second ray 2f to 2f in head. 

 Third anal spine longest, 3^ in head. Soft anal hke soft dorsal, 

 third ray 2^ in head. Caudal slightly emarginate, upper lobe little 

 longer. Color in alcohol generally dark brownish. Below lateral 

 line along sides row of 4 or 5 large square dusky-brown blotches 

 and streaks of same color between each. Above lateral fine color 

 largely dark brown. Pale blue obhque line along upper maxillary 

 edge or impression. Another parallel from below eye front to cheek 

 corner. Dusky spot below eye front and on cheek at end of maxil- 

 lary. Fins brownish, edges of unpaired blackish. Upper and lower 

 corners of caudal and anal end black. Soft dorsal, anal, caudal and 

 caudal peduncle rather sparsely marked with small bluish dots. 

 Pectoral pale brown. Ventral with dusky shade. Iris brown. 

 Three examples, 170 to 245 mm. 



