[94 



HELLER AND SNODGRASS 



ocular spines on the supraocular margin ; preopercle with a double 

 edge, the anterior short and soon obsolete dorsally, the posterior 

 rounded at angle, and armed with slender serrations on angle and on 

 posterior edge ; subopercle with a stout spine at angle, bifid at tip, 

 upper spine longest, slightly more than one half the interorbital width 

 in length ; interopercle with a smaller, stouter spine at angle ; opercle 

 smooth along lower edge, the angle armed with about twelve small 

 spines, the one at the angle considerably enlarged, a deep rounded 

 notch above angle with two small spines above it. Gills four, a slit 

 behind last; pseudo-branchiae well developed. Gill-rakers long, more 

 than one third of eye in length ; fourteen below the angle. Brachio- 

 stegal rays six. 



Scales large, thirty-three in lateral line, armed with moderately long, 

 slender serrations ; head scaled on cheeks and on occiput to between 

 orbits ; entire body scaled, leaving only fin membranes naked. Lateral 

 line begins above opercle and extends in a slight curve to between the 

 dorsals, then goes obliquely downwards for a short distance, and then 

 horizontally to caudal peduncle ; broken between dorsals by a slight 

 interval. (Some of the posterior scales of the lateral line are missing.) 



Dorsal fins two, separated in front of last dorsal spine by an interval 

 equal to diameter of eye. Spinous part high, rounded ; third spine 

 highest, slightly greater than one half the length of head ; first spine 

 very short ; posterior spines slender. Soft dorsal joined to last dorsal 

 spine, outline of the fin lunate, posterior rays somewhat produced and 

 filamentous, about equaling anterior ones in length. Anal fin begin- 

 ning behind origin of soft dorsal, spinous part much lower than spinous 

 dorsal ; first spine very short, second longest but evidently shorter than 

 third, which is stouter but broken at tip. Soft anal similar to soft 

 dorsal, but scarcely lunate. Pectoral fin long and ribbon-shaped, 

 rays filamentous at tip, reaching beyond posterior border of anal fin ; 

 rays thirteen. Ventrals pointed, spine nearly equaling the filaments, 

 rays I, 5. The caudal fin is missing, only a few of the basal rays 

 remain on the ventral side. 



Coloration in Life. — Black with metallic-green iridescence ; snout 

 and lower jaw somewhat paler ; fins dusky. 



