NEW FISHES 



191 



First dorsal spine longest, four in head; posterior spines decreas- 

 ing regularly in length to last which is equal to diameter of eye ; 

 spines depressible in a groove. Second ray of soft dorsal longest, 

 exceeding slightly the first ray, three and one third in length of head ; 

 posterior rays decreasing regularly in length to ninth which is three 

 and one half in length of first ; last ray longer, two and one half 

 in first. Caudal fin deeply forked, lobes equal. Pectorals small, about 

 three in head, slightly exceeding the ventrals, upper rays longest. 

 Anal similar to soft dorsal in shape but lower, first ray three and three 

 fourths in head. 



A young specimen, 50 mm. long — presumably belonging to this 

 species — taken from the surf near Tagus Cove, Albemarle, has a 

 series of eight wide black median dorsal spots. The first is the largest 

 and is situated on the head posterior to the eyes, the second is fused in 

 the median line with the third, and the last is situated on the base of 

 the cavidal peduncle. On each side is a black longitudinal line, best 

 marked posteriorly. At the base of the anal is a large brown spot 

 and there is a similar spot on the middle of the caudal peduncle, while 

 at the base of the caudal fin is a smaller one. The snout and tip of 

 the lower jaw are dusky. The rest of the body is pale. Another 

 specimen, 40 mm. long, has the same characters except that the 

 second dorsal spot is narrower and not fused with the third. A third 

 specimen 97 mm. long has a faint indication of this color pattern, there 

 being a fairlv well marked granular lateral stripe and obscure traces of 

 the dorsal spots. 



MEASUREMENTS OF Sphyr<^na idiastes. 



Catalogfue No. Leland Stanford Jr. University Museum. 



Length in mm 480 



Head 

 Depth ... 

 Pectoral 

 Ventral.. 



Depth of caudal peduncle 



Eve: Head 



Maxillary : Head 



Exsertion of mandible : Head. 



Snovit : Head 



Interorbital : Head 



Suborbital : Head 



Dorsal Spines 



Dorsal Rajs 



Anal Rays 



Scales in lateral line 



Scales, transverse 1 20-12 



