FISHES OF WEST COAST OF PEEU. 41 



Head and shoulders broad, heavy, and arched in adults, much more 

 4; interorbital 2.9 to 3; D. 14; A. 15; scales 31-2. 



Head 3.37 to 3.56 in length ; depth 3 to 3.45 ; eye 4 in head ; snout 

 compressed in the young; mouth small, nearly vertical; cleft of 

 mouth extending to lower level of orbit. This character is subject 

 to considerable variation; in adults it may reach a considerable dis- 

 tance below level of orbit. Jaws with two series of small, simple, 

 conical, hooked teeth, those in the inner row fewer and smaller; in 

 young examples often none or only one or two of the inner series 

 visible. 



Origin of dorsal in advance of anal, slightly nearer caudal than 

 base of occiput, situated at distance equal to its base from caudal; 

 caudal truncate or slightly rounded ; ventrals absent. 



The scales of the largest specimens are large, convex, horny, and 

 smooth anteriorly, becoming smaller, flattened, and finely striate 

 posteriorly; those above pectoral and on sides and top of head are 

 polished; those on sides of caudal peduncle more or less deciduous; 

 breast and belly naked; top of snout and an area around eye, more 

 or less scaleless; scales in transverse series 14 or 15, 20 on median line 

 of back between nape and origin of dorsal, those on cheek arranged 

 in 3 or 4 rows. In young individuals the scales are all very thin, 

 finely striate and not polished. 



The coloration of this species is subject to considerable variation, 

 and Pellegrin has described four varietal forms based mainly on 

 these differences in coloration. Individuals from La Fundicion, 

 studied by the present writers,^ indicate that there are no hard and 

 fast lines of separation. 



Color of adults, dusky olive on back and sides; ventral surface 

 white or yellowish white, the duskiness of the sides encroaching on 

 this area in older examples ; in some specimens some of the scales on 

 sides, especially on the head and caudal peduncle, have light centers 

 with dusky edges. Some individuals have a broad, indistinct, dark 

 band on sides, margined below with yellow ; dorsal and anal dusky, 

 without black areas or blotches; base of dorsal usually jet black; 

 caudal and pectoral dusky to lightish ; axil and base white or dusky 

 white, margined with dusky. 



Some smaller individuals have quite a distinct dark band from 

 opercle to base of caudal, most distinct on caudal peduncle; dorsal 

 and caudal with a few irregular black areas on rays near base, giving 

 the fin a punctulated appearance. Other specimens have the band 

 more distinct and a row of about a dozen irregular black spots along 

 each side of the back ; below these and alternating with them in some 

 specimens there is a second row; the dark blotches are more pro- 

 nounced and extend nearer to the free margin. Still others have 3 or 



iProc. Bio!. Soc. Wash., vol. 22, 1909, pp. 165-170. 



