PEOCEEDIXGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 65 



smaller and more numerous near the lateral line. The region above and 

 behind the pectorals beset with numerous purple spots, smaller than 

 those above the lateral line. Beneath the lateral line, on the posterior 

 part of the body, there are no spots, except along the line of the analj 

 but probably*this is the result of exposure to alcohol, which has caused 

 the disappearance of most of the spots from the smaller specimen, the 

 color of which, when fresher, was like that of the larger. 



Throat and greater portion of gill- membranes without blotches, but 

 sown with dark points, which occur also over the whole of the body and 

 the interior of the mouth . Fleshy bases of caudal and pectorals with sev- 

 eral purple blotches. Fins darker than the body, and showing traces of 

 blotches of a deeper tint, especially upon the caudal. 



Vertebrae numerous; vertebral column highly flexible and soft. 



Cranial bones tolerably firm, those of the face and opercles, &c., highly 

 flexible. 



Entire body characterized by a lack of firmness, as it can be doubled 

 up as readily as a piece of soft, thick rag. Swim-bladder large. 



I append measurements of the two specimens, but many of these must 

 be regarded as apj)roximate only, in consequence of the distortion aris- 

 ing from the softness of texture of the fish, together with that conse- 

 quent upon cutting them open shortly after they were first procured. 



In the larger specimen the ventrals are iiartly destroyed, and the tips 

 of many of the dorsal and anal rays are wanting. 



The shnpe of the head in the two examples is very different, doubtless 



owing to the flexibility of the bones. In the larger the snout is blufi', 



almost perpendicular, the dorsal outline rises rapidly to the origin of the 



dorsal, and the tip of the premaxillaries is far below the eye ; while in 



the smaller the dorsal outline slopes regularly from the tip of the snout, 



which is almost level witb the lower margin of the eye, to the origin of 



the dorsal. 



Dimensions. 



Total length, to tip of candal 



Greatest depth (approximate) 



Depth of peduncle of tail where narrowest. 



Length of head 



Diameter of eye 



Interorbital width 



Length of njiner jaw 



Length of snout 



Tip of snout to origin of dorsal 



Length of base of snoiit 



Length of longest posterior dorsal rays 



Interval hot ween ilorsal and caudal 



Tip of mandible to anal flu 



Length of anal base 



Origin of dorsal to upper axil of pectoral. . 



Upper axil of pectoral to tip of snout 



Length of pi ctorals 



Length of ventrals 



Numljer of dorsal rays 



Number of anal rays 



Number of groups of spines in lateral line. . 



No. 2. 



Hi 



§ 



2i 



5i 

 li 



52 or 53 



37 



Circa 120 



Proc. Nat. Mus. 80- 



May 24, 1880, 



