18. PAROPHKYS. 455 



the coloured side ; vomerine teeth none. The dorsal fin commences 

 above the eye. Scales small or rudimentary ; lateral line without 

 strong curve. Eyes on the right side. 

 North Pacific. 



1. Parophrys vetula. 



Parophrys vetulus, Girard in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1854, pp. 140, 

 142, 155, and in U. S. Pact/. P. P. Exped. Fish. p. 153. 



D. 86. A. 64. 



The teeth, which are minute, exist on the blind side of the fish only. 

 The height of the body is one-third of the total length (with the 

 caudal), the length of the head one-fourth. Snout with the lower 

 jaw longest ; cleft of the mouth small, the maxillaiy extending some- 

 what behiud the anterior margin of the eye. Eyes separated by a 

 veiy narrow and elevated ridge. Scales small, cycloid ; lateral liae 

 but slightly curved above the pectoral. The dorsal fin commences 

 above the upper eye and termiuates at a short distance from the 

 caudal ; peduncle of tail slender. An anal spiue. The length of the 

 caudal is contained five times and a half in the total. Reddish-grey, 

 marbled with darker. (Girard.) 



Coast of California. 



2. Parophrys cornuta. 



Platessa comuta, Schleg. Faun. Japon. Poiss. p. 179. pi. 92. fig. 1 ; Bleek. 



in Verhand. Batav. Genootsch. xxvi. Japan, p. 121. 

 Heteroprosopou cornutus, Bleek. in Co7npt. Rend. Acad. Sc. Ajnsterd.xiii. 



1802, Pkuron. p. 8. 



D. 80-82. A. 56-58. 



The height of the body is one-half of the total length (without 

 caudal), the length of the head two-elevenths. The greatest depth 

 between the lateral Hne and the anal fin is much more than the length 

 of the head. Scales very small, smooth ; opercles scaly, without 

 prominent osseous ridge. A longitudinal sharp ridge between the 

 eyes, terminating in a spine posteriorly ; the anterior margin of each 

 orbit with two conical prominences, the upper prominence of the 

 lower eye being the strongest. Lateral line nearly straight. Snout 

 very short, only half as long as the eye, the diameter of which is one- 

 fourth of the length of the head. Jaws equal anteriorly, provided 

 with one or two series of minute pointed teeth ; lips fleshy, maxillaiy 

 shorter tlian the eye. The dorsal fin commences before the middle 

 of the eye, and its distance from the caudal is somewhat more than 

 the width of the orbit. Dorsal and anal rays covered with minute 

 (in a fresh state scarcely visible) scales. The longest dorsal rays are 

 immediately behind the middle of the fin, where they are two-thirds 

 of the length of the head. Pectoral short, not much longer than ven- 

 tral, two-fifths of the length of the head. Brownish, with several 

 patches of numerous whitish dots ; fins with numerous small round 

 blackish spots. {iSfhlnj.) 



Japan. 



