104 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



convex, rectorals pointed; tliat of colored side with 11-12 rays, the 

 longest about rr *>f the length of the head ; all the rays, except the first 

 two, once bifurcate. Pectoral of blind side with 10-11 rays, the longest 

 about § as long as those of the colored side ; the three or fo^r lowest 

 rays once bifurcate. Ventrals more than half their length in advance 

 of the pectorals (reckoning from the front margins of both fins), con- 

 tained about 3| times in the length of the head ; the three posterior rays 

 bifurcate. Gill-rakers short, very flexible, few, and widely separated. 

 Scales of the anterior part of the body separate and almost circular, but 

 towards tlie central portion they slightly overlap, and on the posterior 

 portion are strongly imbricated. By far the larger portion of the scales 

 on the anterior portion of the body and along the dorsal and abdominal 

 regions, almost all those on the sub- and inter-opercula, a large propor- 

 tion of those on operculum, and some of those on the suborbital region 

 smooth, subcircular. On the central portion of the length, especially 

 near the lateral line, scales Avith two or three spinules appear, and these 

 become more numerous and more decidedly ctenoid farther backwards, 

 extending quite across the body on its posterior third. Scales of cheeks 

 not imbricated, similar in shape to those of body ; the posterior portion 

 of their surface covered with numerous spinules (number variable) di- 

 rected upwards. Near the interorbital space these spinules cover the 

 greater portion of each scale. These spinulose scales extend upwards 

 level with the uijper margin of the ui)per eye ; Jind there are numerous 

 scales of a similar character on the operculum, and sometimes a few upon 

 the sub- and inter-opercula. A few isolated scales below the i>ectoral 

 resemble those on the cheeks. Each of the scales on the cheeks with a 

 distinct pit, i^roducing a punctate appearance. In some specimens spin- 

 ulose scales are scattered over the anterior parts. Scales of blind side 

 smooth; i)reoperculum scaleless. Accessory lateral line of variable 

 length, connected with the main lateral line by a brancli and sometimes 

 with a short separate row of pores above ; accessory lateral line of blind 

 side shorter. Lateral line with a bold curve, six scales high (in an ob- 

 lique row) above pectoral, anteriorly decurrent to nearly its former direc- 

 tion. A row of pores round the lower eye. Eays of the caudal covered 

 with scales on both blind and colored sides. A row of scales along the 

 greater portion of the length of the central rays of the dorsal on the col- 

 ored side and on a portion of the anal, but no scales upon the anterior or 

 l)Osterior rays of either fin on that side, nor on either dorsal or anal on the 

 blind side. The scales of the body are largest on the posterior portion 

 and on the caudal peduncle, Mhere they are elongated, and measure 

 about -/v ill length. Color light grayish, yellowish, or reddish brown, 

 with irregularly placed blotches of whitish on the body; often with five 

 large light blotches along the dorsal and five along the abdominal mar- 

 gin. Blind side white. Dorsal fin sometimes with blotches on colored 

 side. 



