56 PEOCEEDINGS OP UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



fourth; upper margin straight, slightly diminishiug in height to the 

 nineteenth ray, four last rays diminishing rapidly. 



Anal commencing even with the second dorsal, and coterminous and 

 similar to it ; rays increasii*g to the third ; last ray short. 



Caudal slightly emarginate on posterior margin, with numerous acces- 

 sory rays running some distance up the j)rofile of the caudal peduncle; 

 principal rays twice bifurcate. Vent somewhat in advance of the anal. 



Pectorals rounded, central rays longest, their tix)S about even with the 

 nineteenth dorsal spine ; rays simple ; base vertical. 



Ventrals inserted well behind the pectorals, beneath the sixth dorsal 

 spine; second ray longest, its tip slightly overpassing the vent; three 

 longest rays overpassing the pectoral. 



Lateral lines tive on each side, two above and two below the principal 

 line. 



The uppermost on each side commence close together on the occiput, 

 run along the dorsal base outside the first row of scales, and end at the 

 fourteenth ray of the soft dorsal. 



The second commences on the occiput, and is continued to the base ot 

 the uppermost principal caudal ray. 



The third commences on the scapular region, runs parallel with the 

 dorsal outline till it becomes median upon the caudal peduncle, and is con- 

 tinued some distance uj)on the caudal. 



The fourth commences slightly in front of the pectoral base, and con- 

 tinues i^arallel to the abdominal outhne to opposite the seventeenth anal 

 ray. 



The fifth pair are united into a median abdominal line at a point about 

 half way between the vent and the axil of the ventrals ; anterior to this 

 point the single line runs forward to the pectoral girdle ; posterior to it 

 each division runs parallel with the anal base, and ends at the base of 

 the lowest principal caudal ray. 



Scales ctenoid, rather larger on the anterior portion of the body than 

 on the jDosterior; the cilia tion obsolete on the scales of the side of the 

 head. Suborbital stay squamose. Snout, preorbital, and interoperculum 

 scaleless. Membrane between caudal rays scaly. 



Pectoral base scaly ; some small scales at base of rays of first dorsal ; 

 second dorsal with small scales between the rays for about half its height. 

 Anal scaleless. 



Color, in alcohol, brown, blotched with yellowish blotches in longi- 

 tudinal series. 



This hitherto undescribed species is tolerably common in the markets 

 of San Francisco at some seasons of the year. 



When fresh, the series of blotches along the sides are bright orange 

 and bright maroon. 



A type si)ecimen is in the National Museum. 



