PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 55 



and veutrals overpassing pectorals and reaching nearly or quite to the 

 vent. 



Lowest lateral line iisiially forking about midwaj' between ventrals 

 and vent. 



Pectoral spotted all over with light and dark spots. 



Common in the bay of San Francisco. 



Chirus guttatus. 



First dorsal with twenty or twenty-one rays, ventrals and pectorals 

 usually about even i)osteriorly and scarcely reaching to the vent ; posi- 

 tion of the fork of the lowest lateral line somewhat variable. 



Spots on sides bright orange when fresh, but becoming dark on ex- 

 posure to air or alcohol. 



ChixTis maculo-seriatus nov. sp. 



D. XXI, ij ; A. 22-23 ; P. 19; V. -^ ; C. (principal rays) 15; L. lat. 110. 



Body elongate, compressed, the greatest height about one-fifth of the 

 length (caudal included) ; greatest thickness, at opercles, about three- 

 fourths of the greatest height; depth of caudal peduncle about I'j of the 

 greatest depth; head about one-fourth of total length. 



Dorsal outline rising at an angle of about 20°, with a slight curve to 

 the origin of the dorsal, or to about its fifth ray, whence it descends 

 gradually in a straight line to the caudal i^eduncle, which is wedge- 

 shaped, increasing in width towards base of tail. 



Abdominal outline descending slowly to the scapular girdle, thence 

 nearly level to anal ; anal base sloping upwards with a slight curve. 



Snout longer than orbit; iuterocular width slightly less than length 

 of orbit; forehead slightly curved transversely, summit of ascending 

 liremaxillary processes rising slightly above the profile of the snout. 



Anterior nostril with the edges raised into a short tube. 



Eyes lateral, elliptical ; a fimbriated flap over the orbit. 



Jaws subequal, the ui^ijer slightly projecting; posterior extremity of 

 maxillary reaching slightly beyond anterior margin of orbit, that of 

 mandible below the center of the pupil. 



Cardiff>rm teeth in both jaws, in several rows in front, diminishing to 

 a single series at the sides, the outer row larger than the others ; a patch 

 of similar teeth upon the vomer, and occasionally a few on the anterior 

 part of the palatines, a character which certainly cannot be of generic 

 value in this group. Branchiostegals six ; gill-openings continuous be- 

 low, no isthmus ; gill-rakers obsolescent, transverse. 



Dorsal arising above the flap of the opercle, slightly in front of the 

 pectoral base, deeply notched ; the first dorsal strongly arched on its 

 upper margin ; the first ray much shorter than the second ; the other rays 

 increasing in height to about the fourth, thence diminishing to the 

 twentieth, which is considerably shorter than the unarticulated ray at 

 the commencement of the second portion of the dorsal. 



Second dorsal lower than the first, the rays increasing to about the 



