226 BULLETIN 189, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



rather stronglj'^ convex, with a compressed edge in occipital region; 

 head moderately large, compressed; snout fairly blunt, 3.4 in head; 

 eye 5.8; interorbital 2.9; mouth large, somewhat oblique, terminal; 

 maxillary reaching opposite posterior margin of eye, with a large 

 supplemental bone, rounded posteriorly, its width equal to vertical 

 diameter of eye, 2.0 in head; teeth all minute, in a broad band in each 

 jaw, a small patch on vomer; gill rakers broad, compressed, finely 

 denticulate on imier edge, about three-fourths length of eye, 10 on 

 lower and 2 on upper limb of first arch; lateral hne with a very long 

 low curve, becoming median in position over about middle of anal, 

 without keel or scutes; scales small, extending forward on head in 

 parietal region, on upper part of opercle, and covering most of preoper- 

 cle and cheek; high membranous sheaths of dorsal and anal fins cover- 

 ing the fins if laid down; origin of first dorsal a little in advance of 

 base of pectoral, its filaments reaching far beyond middle of second 

 dorsal; second dorsal and anal similar in shape, the latter much the 

 shorter, both somewhat elevated anteriorly, the longest ray of dorsal 

 about equal to snout and eye, the last ray of each enlarged, the fins 

 approximately co terminal ; origin of anal under or near middle of base 

 of second dorsal, its base 4.9 in length; ventral with a short inner 

 lobe, 1.5 in head; pectoral very long, falcate, reaching a little beyond 

 vertical from vent, 2.9 in length. 



Color bluish gray with metallic reflections along back, changing 

 rather abruptly to the silvery gray of the lower parts along middle 

 of side; these colors separated by an indefinite dark streak somewhat 

 ftbove middle of side posterior to origin of second dorsal, this streak 

 bent upward under first dorsal, oblique portion very indistinct; a 

 second obscure broad oblique streak under anterior dorsal spines; 

 filaments of first dorsal black; second dorsal, caudal, and anal dusky; 

 ventral and pectoral largely colorless, the latter black at base of 

 lower half, inside of base also black. (Young, according to Panama 

 specimens, with more dark bars and spots.) 



The Mission furnished a single specimen, 925 mm. (712 mm. to 

 base of caudal) long, which was taken in the Gulf of Guayaquil oflF 

 Zorritos, while trolling. A weight of 78 pounds of an individual 

 taken in Panama Bay has been reported. 



Range. — Gulf of California to northern Peru. Previously appar- 

 ently not recorded from south of Panama. 



Family CORYPHAENIDAE: Dolphinfishes 



Body elongate, compressed; mouth wide, oblique; lower jaw 

 projecting; teeth small, present on jaws, vomer, palatines, and tongue; 

 gills 4, the membranes free from the isthmus; branchiostegals 7; 

 lateral line developed; scales very small; dorsal fin very long, with 



