PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 39 



stronger than in related species. The nuchal spines are as usual placed 

 close behind the occipital. 



Preorbital bone rather broad, with a single obsolete spine directed 

 downward. Preopercle with five rather short and bluntish spines, the 

 second the larger, the three lower quite small. Opercle with two blunt- 

 ish, diverging spines. A blunt spine on the shoulder girdle above the 

 l^ectorals ; two sharp suprascapular spines. Subopen^le and lower edge 

 of opercle each with a blunt point. Preorbital scaly below. Maxillary 

 naked. 



Eye rather large, its diameter about one-quarter the length of the 

 head. 



Gill-rakers clavate, short, stiff, compressed, armed with bristly teeth 

 above and within. There are about thirty of them in all, those nearest 

 the middle of the arch longest and most perfect, the others gradually 

 growing smaller and incomplete. About half of them have the poste- 

 rior edge free. The longest is about one-third the length of the eye 

 (^ in S. melanops ; f in S. ])inniger). In form they are midway between 

 the tubercle-like gill-rakers of '•'■ Schastosomus'''' {S. imlanops) and the 

 long and slender gill-rakers in " Sehastomus^^ {S.2nnniger,flavidns, auricu- 

 latus, etc.). 



Branchiostegals 7, the gill membranes, as in other species, little 

 united, without isthmus. 



Scales moderate, essentially as in S. fasciatus and related species. 

 Lateral line with 55 scales. 



Dorsal fin with strong spines, the fourth to seventh highest and sub- 

 equal, the lowest more than half the height of the highest. Soft dorsal 

 rather higher than any of the spines. Caudal fin broad, rounded. 

 Anal fin with the second spine robust, about as long as the third and 

 much stronger, the soft rays high. 



Pectoral broad and rounded, its base deep, nearly one-third the 

 length of the head, its lower rays thickened as in S. melanops, its tij^s 

 reaching just past the vent. Ventrals falling just short of the front of 

 anal. 



Fin rays: D. XII, 1, 13; A. Ill, 5. 



General color dark olive, blackish on the head and back, the sides 

 somewhat yellowish; sides of body with black cross-bands which are 

 somewhat oblique; these bands are usually distinct, but are sometimes 

 nearly obsolete in dark-colored examples. The first band runs down- 

 ward from front of dorsal across base of pectoral; the second from 

 near the middle of spinous dorsal to behind the ventrals; the third from 

 the posterior part of the dorsal to the vent; the fourth and fifth above 

 the anal, and the sixth at base of caudal. Another black bar extends 

 across the scapular region and the opercular s}>ines, and two bands radi- 

 ate from the eye, obliquely downward and backward. Belly dusky 

 greenish; fins blackish, with a strong olive tinge. 



Lips, mouth, froiit and lower port of the head, with a strong wash of 



