230 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. voi.. r.H. 



base and breast scales also small. Tubes of lateral line large, with 

 many as 8 or 10 branches. Third dorsal spine, If to 2 in head, 

 third ray, 2^\ to 3f . Anal small, inserted much nearer caudal base 

 than ventral origin; second spine, 3| to 4 in head. Caudal ends in 

 long median point behind, 1| to !{- in head; pectoral. If. to ]|; ven- 

 tral, If to ll. Vent nearly an eye-tliamcter before anal. 



Color in alcohol brownish above, sides and below silvery-white. 

 Iris and most of head silvery-white. Dark band extends medially 

 along each row of scales on trunk above. Spinous dorsal with outer 

 portions dusky. Soft dorsal paler, with two rows of longitudinal 

 deep brown spots, pair on each membrane with upper about middle 

 of fin and lower basal. Other fins all pale brownish. Two examples, 

 322 to 354 mm. 



JOHNIUS NIGRITUS (Cuvier). 



Head, 3^ to 3^; depth, 3^ to 3|; D. X, I, 32 or 33; A. II, 6; 

 tubes, 50 in lateral line to caudal base; 7 scales above lateral line 

 Lo soft dorsal origin and 8 below to spinous anal origin ; 32 predorsal 

 scales to head; snout, 4^ in head from upper jaw tip; eye, 4 to 4;^; 

 maxillary, 2; interorbital, 4 to 4 J. Elongateh^ ovoid, well com- 

 pressed, deepest at spinous dorsal base medially. Caudal peduncle 

 strongly compressed, long as deep or least depth 4 to 4| in head. 

 Head width, 2| to 2J its length. Snout convex; length, f its width. 

 Eye slightly ellipsoid, advanced, hind edge about one-third of eye- 

 diameter before center in head length. Mouth large; lower jaw very 

 slightl}^ projecting. Teeth simple, conic, in narrow bands in jaws, 

 outer row of upper slightl}^ enlarged or caninelike, lower reversed, 

 though upper also with few inner slightly enlarged teeth in front. 

 Maxillary to hind pupil edge; expansion, 1|- to 1| in eye. Inter- 

 orbital convex. Several inconspicuous or largely hidden serrae at 

 preopercle corner. Kakers, ii 7 to 9 + 13 ii to v, lanceolate, longer 

 than filaments, or If in eye. Scales narrowly imbricated, greatly 

 crowded at predorsal, in oblique rows above and below lateral line; 

 after anal below and largely above also parallel. Scales with 10 to 17 

 basal striae, circuli very fine and often complete, and apical denticles 

 slender. Suprascapula with frayed cutaneous border. Row of smaller 

 scales along soft dorsal base; also small scales on caudal base. Breast 

 scales larger than predorsal. Tubes in lateral line large, greatly 

 branched above and below from main vertical or oblique stem. 

 Second dorsal spine 2yV to 2^ in head, third ray 2|. Anal small, 

 inserted much nearer caudal base than ventral origin, spines striate, 

 second greatly enlarged and If to 2| in head, second ray 1| to 2- 

 Caudal with long median point behind, 1| to IJ in head; pectoral, 

 IJ; ventral, 11 to IJ. 



Color in alcohol, back brown, sides and lower surface silvery-white. 

 Each row of scales on back and upper sides with obscure median 

 brownish streak. Iris whitish with duskv above. Fins largely pale 



