THE SHORE FISHES OF PERU 253 



length of pupil, 14 more or less developed on lower and 6 on upper 

 limb of first arch; scales firm, ctenoid, missing on upper surface of 

 snout, 6 complete longitudinal series between lateral line and origin 

 of dorsal, 4 between lateral line and median dorsal series on caudal 

 peduncle, and 5 between lateral line and median ventral series; 4 

 vertical series of scales on opercle behind upper free part of preoper- 

 cular margin, and 6 main horizontal rows between lower posterior 

 margin of eye and lower margin of preopercle; dorsal deeply notched, 

 the fourth spine longest 2.15 in head; anal spines rather slender, 

 graduated, the second much shorter and more slender than the third, 

 6.0 in head; ventral inserted immediately behind base of pectoral, 

 the spine slender, 3.0 in head; pectoral much longer than ventrals, 

 pointed, nearly as long as head, 3.15 in length. 



Color of old preserved specimen grayish brown above; somewhat 

 paler underneath; faint dark lines along the rows of scales below 

 lateral line; a large obscure shoulder spot present; fleshy margin of 

 opercle somewhat darkened; fins all brownish. 



Only one specimen, 170 mm. (136 mm. to base of caudal) long, from 

 Peru is at hand. It was taken at Capon (Gulf of Guayaquil) by R. E. 

 Coker. This fish was compared with 10 others, 65 to 220 mm. (52 to 

 180 mm. to base of caudal) long, from Panama Bay, the Gulf of 

 California, and Mazatlan, Mexico. The following proportions and 

 enumerations are based on 9 specimens, unless otherwise stated : Head 

 3.0 to 3.4 in length; depth 2.55 to 3.0; pectoral 3.15 to 4.7 (apparently 

 increasing in length with age). Eye 2.7 to 4.0 in head; snout 3.2 to 

 4.0 (not increasing excessively in length with age) ; interorbital 3.75 

 to 5.2; preorbital 5.4 to 12; maxillary 3.0 to 3.5; caudal peducle 2.5 

 to 3.0; fourth dorsal spine 1.7 to 2.15; second anal spine variable in 

 length, 2.7 to 6.0; ventral spine 2.4 to 3.0; pectoral 1.05 to 1.3 in head. 

 D. XII, 14 or 15; A. Ill, 8 (7 once) ; P. 16 or 17; gill rakers 6 to 8 + 13 

 to 15; scales 51 to 54, 5 or 6 complete series between lateral line and 

 origin of dorsal, 4 between lateral line and median dorsal row on caudal 

 peduncle, and 5 between lateral line and median ventral row, 4 vertical 

 rows on opercle behind upper part of preopercular margin, and 6 or 7 

 horizontal rows on cheek below lower posterior part of eye ; vertebrae 

 26 (one specimen from Gulf of California dissected) . It is interesting to 

 note that whereas the mouth is terminal in the larger specimens at 

 hand, the lower jaw projects rather prominently in the young. Al- 

 though the suborbital increases with age, the increase is not nearly so 

 great as in B. leuciscus. 



The validity of B. nitidus has been questioned. In fact, it was 

 synonymized with B. leuciscus by Meek and Hildebrand (1925, p. 

 551). However, it is evident now from the larger series studied that 

 two species are at hand, which can be separated, as characters have 

 now been discovered that seem to be specific. Those used before, 



