PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 341 



to that througli the middle. Preopercuhira with uumerous sharp deuti- 

 cuhitions upon its posterior margiu and around the angle, the latter 

 the largest. Dorsal flu moderatelj^ notched, the fourth spines the 

 longest, contained twice in the length of the head. Second anal spine 

 very strong, and longer than the fourth dorsal spine ; longer also than 

 third anal spine. Pectoral fin reaches to vertical from 11th spine of 

 dorsal, its length contained 4J in length of body without caudal, 5J in 

 total length. Length of ventral equal to that of caudal peduncle, and 

 extending as far back as does the pectoral. 



Scales very large, and so irregularly arranged that it is impossible 

 to make a close enumeration of them; there are about forty-eight to 

 fifty-two rows. 



Color. — Pale, with a pair of bands as broad as the pupil extending 

 from the snout, where they unite, following the dorsal line at a distance 

 about equal to their own width and connecting with the same at the 

 end of the base of the second dorsal where they reunite ; a second broad 

 pair of bands, extending from the snout through the middle of the eye, 

 in a straight line below the lateral line to the base of the caudal ; traces, 

 on the head, of a pair of narrower bands between the two pairs already 

 mentioned; also a single stripe, on the mesial line of the body, from 

 a point in advance of the eyes to the region of the dorsal. A very 

 prominent blotch at the base of the caudal fin. 



D. XI, I, 15. A. Ill, 8. Scales, 5 | (50) | 10. 



SERBANID^. 



22. Rhypticus pituitosus, u. sj). Goode & Be;in. 



A single young specimen (No. 23555), 47 millimeters long, collected at 

 Key West, Fla. Although immature, its characters seem to distinguish 

 it from all described species. Its nearest ally is the Rhypticus nigripin- 

 nis of Gill, from Panama,* but we do not feel justified in referring i he 

 Key West specimen to this species, in view of the differences in color 

 and the remoteness of the two localities. In radial formulae and pro- 

 portions it agrees sufficiently well with Gill's diagnosis. 



Diagnosis. — One continuous dorsal. The height of the body is less 

 than the length of the head, being contained 3^ times in length of body 

 without caudal, 4| times in total length. Length of head, exceeding ^ 

 of length of body without caudal, contained 3^ times iii total length. 

 Diameter of eye double the length of the snout and half as long as the 

 lower jaw. Upper jaw reaches nearly to vertical from posterior margia 

 of orbit. Width of posterior expansion of maxilla equals one-third 

 length of lower jaw. Length of upi)er jaw contained 2^- times in length 

 of head. Length ol pectoral equals that of postorbital portion of head. 

 Pector<ds extend bejond the tips of the ventrals a distance equal to 

 length of ventrals. Dorsal and anal fins higher posteriorly, the longest 



* 1861. Gill, Theodore N. Synopsis generum Rhyptici et affiniura. <^Proc. Acad. 

 Nat. Sci. Phila. 1861, pp. 52-54 (p. 53). 



