PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 153 



tbe origin of the seoond dorsal. In the lower lateral series are 29 plates, 

 in the abdominal series 30, 10 before the anal, 8 along its base, and 11 

 behind it. 



Breast without distinct plates, but entirely covered with minute tubercles) 

 each of which has a central spine. A series of five plates in front of the 

 base of the pectorals, four of them armed with hooked spines. 



Fin rays : D. VI-G ; A. 8 ; V. I, 2. 



Lowest rays of pectorals not so short as in B. verrucosus, the lower- 

 most two-thirds the length of the longest (in B. verrucosus two-sevenths). 

 Pectorals barely reaching front of anal. 



Ventrals much shorter than in B. verrucosus, the tips reaching slightly 

 more than half the distance to the anal fin (beyond front of anal in B. 

 verrucosus). Inner ray of ventrals very little longer than the outer, tbe 

 connecting membrane narrow (very broad in verrucosus). Vent but lit- 

 tle behind ventrals. 



Coloration. — Upper parts dusky ; mandible, cheek, and subopercle sil- 

 very. Belly pale, with reddish tint. Lower half of pectoral reddish at 

 base, the rest of tbe fin thicklj' dusted with black points. Ventrals red- 

 dish. Dorsal membrane immaculate, the rays punctulate with black. 

 Caudal blackish. Anal reddish anteriorly, dusky behind. 



This species is related to Brachyopsis verrucosus, lately described by 

 Mr. Lockiugton, differing, however, in several important respects, espe- 

 cially («) in the presence of small prickles on the breast instead of the 

 large wart-like plates characteristic of verrucosus, (b) in the short ven- 

 tral tins, (c) the absence of small prickles on the plates of the body, {d, . 

 the smaller number of plates, (e) the shorter vertical fins, (/) the long 

 maxillary barbel, and (g) the deep mandible. 



Brachyopsis verrucosus is comparatively common in the open water be- 

 tween Point Eeyes and the Farallones, and is frequently brought in in 

 the trawl-nets. Brachyopsis xyosternus is thus far known onlj^ from a 

 specimen found on the beach at Santa Cruz by Dr. C. L. Anderson, and 

 presented by him to the United States National Museum. 



The genus to which these two species belong is well separated from 

 Agomis by the absence of an isthmus, as well as by the entirely different 

 form of the mouth and anterior portion of the head. Whether they are 

 congeneric with the type of Brachyopsis Gill {Agonus rostratus Tilesius, 

 from Kamtschatka) is yet to be i^roven. 



