DISCUSSION' OP SPECIKS AXI» TIIKIIJ DtSTRIIit'TKlN. 449 



its widtli heiuj;- contained t times in tlie Icngtli of Mic ln-ad. A prominent rid^e extends 

 from tlie upper jwsterior marjjin of tiie lower eye to tlie lower posterior margin of the up])er 

 eye, thence widening and enrving downward to the upix-i' angle of tlie hrancliial aperture. 

 The margin of the preopercnluni is also somewhat elevated. The length of the operculum 

 is very slightly greater than tiie width of the interorhital space. 



There are 11 short and thick gill rakers on the anterior arch, the longest equal in lenglli 

 to one-third the diameter of tlie eye. 



The dorsal fin begins on the blind side of the Ixidy in a<lvance of the anterior margin of 

 the lower eye; its anterior rays are almost free, the longest rays behind its middle, its 

 greatest height e(|Ual to the length of the up|)er jaw. 



The anal is inserted under the anterior angle of tbe iiectoral axilla. Its anterior rays 

 are less free than are those of the dorsal, aliout two-thirds of their length being extruded 

 from their membrane. Its outline sindlar to that of the dorsal, but grealcf^t lieight some- 

 what less, being one-third the length of the head. 



The greatest length of the caudal eciuals the length of the head without the snout, and 

 one-fifth of the body length. Its middle rays are somewhat longer than the outer rays, giv- 

 ing to th(^ ])osteiior margin the outline of an obtuse angle. 



The jiectoral is inserted at the tip of the opercular tlap; its secontl and third rays much 

 produced in a filamentous extension. Its greatest length slightly exceeds li times that of 

 the head. The jiectoral on the blind side has no jirolouged rays; its greatest length equal- 

 ing that of the upper Jaw. 



The ventral on the eyed side is inserted on the ridge of the abdomen slightly behind its 

 mate, which is a little removed from the medial line. 



Distance between insertion of the ventral and the snout ecpnils one-fourth the length 

 of the body. The length of the ventral ecjuals one third ^hat of the head, ^'ent close to 

 the origin of anal, and slightly removed from the medial point of the body on the blind 

 side; behind it a snndl papilla, one fourth as long as the eye. 



IJadial formula: D. 87: A. 07; ('.8+7: P. 11 sinistral and !t dextral; V. 5; .scales 

 13-57-22. 



Color, eyed side, grayish brown; blind side, somewhat clouded with darker shade. 



The widtli of the interorbital space in the type exceeded the diameter of the eye. In 

 some smaller ones the space is about equal to the length of the eye. while in still younger 

 ones it is less than the diameter of the eye. 



The type (Cat. No. .'JOISO, U. S. N. M.) was obtained by Silas Stearns, at I'ensacola, 

 Fla. Specimens were taken by the Blale from station COIX, in 24^ -kS' N. hit., 8;P 25' W. 

 Ion., at a depth of 37 fathoms; from station CLXTii, in 24° 4(i' N. hit., 83° 10' W. Ion., at a 

 depth of 30 fathoms; from station xx, off Flannegan's Passage, in 27 fathoms; from station 

 cxcii, ill 2.3'= 13' N. hit., S4'3 10' W. hni., at a depth of S4 fathoms; from station ccLii,-on 

 the Alacran Shoals, in 35 fathoms; also by the AWfitronx from station 2387, in 29° 24' N. 

 lat., 88^ 04' W. Ion., at a depth of 32 fathoms; from station 2388, in 29'3 24' 30" X. hit., 8,So 

 01' W. Ion., at a depth of 35 fathoms; from station 2403, in 28= 42' 30" X. lat., 85° 20' W. 

 Ion., at a depth of 88 fothoms; from station 241 1, in 20'= 33' 30" X. hit, 83^ 15' 30" W. h)n., 

 at a depth of 27 lathoms; from station 2413, in 20^= 00' K lat., 82'= 57' 30" W. Ion., at a 

 depth of 24 fatlioms; from station 2405, in 28^ 45' X. lat., 85^ 02' W. Ion., at a depth of 30 

 fathoms; from station 2414, in 25-= 04' 30" X. lat., 82° 50' 15" W. Ion., at a depth of 26 

 fathoms; from station 2400, in 28= 40' X. hit., 84^ 40' W. Ion., at a depth of 26 lathoms; 

 and from station 2408, in 28° 28' X. lat., 84° 25' W. Ion., at a depth of 21 fathoms. 



ETROPUS, Jordan and Gilbert. 



Etropiis. .loRi.AX .an<i fiii.BF.RT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mas., 1881, 3(M; Bull. xvi. U. S. X. M., 1883, 8.Sn. 



Eyes and color on the left side. Body regularly oval, deep, and <:ompressed. Head 



small; mouth very small, the teeth close-set, slender and pointed, somewhat incurved, 



mostly on the blind side; no teeth on vomer. Eyes small, .separated by a narrow, .scaleless 



ridge; margin of preopercle free. Ventrals free from anal, that of colored side inserted on 



19868— Xo. 2 29 



