284 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



tant characters, namely, the relative proportions of the dorsal and snout, 

 by their help picking out those specimens which appeared to be males, I 

 actually found 80 to 90 per cent, of the individuals so selected to be males 

 with the Syrskian organ. 



I found it impossible to discover distinctive sexual differences of col- 

 oration ; all the males and females investigated by me were of a white 

 color ventrally, green above, with a metalic luster on the sides. 



DESCKIPTIOIV OF A IVEW SPAROID FISH (SPAKUS BRACHYSOMUS), 

 FKOiTI 1.0WER CAI^IFOR.'VIA. 



By W. N. LOCKIWGTON. 



Spams brachysomus n. sp. 



D. - ; A. ^ : P. 15: Y. ^: C. 3-9-8-3: L. lat. cir. 50. 

 12' IL 5 



Body compressed, high ; snout and forehead rising in nearly a straight 

 line, at an angle of about fifty degrees with the axis of the body, to the 

 occiput. From this point the dorsal outline arches upwards to the third 

 dorsal spine, then downwards in a continuous arch to the end of the dor- 

 sal fin. Abdominal outline much less curved than the dorsal, the anal 

 portion more curved than the anterior x)ortion, lower jaw curved, outline 

 between lower jaw and ventrals nearly straight. 



Greatest depth 2§; length of head about 3-1^; dorsal base about 2-^', 

 pectoral about 3| times iu the greatest length ; snout (along axis of body) 

 f ; orbit 4^ ; interocular width 3|- f in the length of the head ; least depth 

 of caudal peduncle 5^ times iii the greatest depth. 



Posterior extremity of maxillary falling somewbat short of the ante- 

 rior margin of the orbit, its upper margin concealed beneath the pre- 

 orbital throughout ; no prominent knob at upper extremity. Lower jaw 

 shorter than the upper. 



Nostrils simple ; the posterior a large elongated slit close in front of 

 the orbit and on a level with the lower half of the eye; the anterior a 

 small circular foramen situated at a lower level than the posterior and 

 about one-fourth of the diameter of the eye in advance of it. 



Interocular space considerably convex transversely, but only slightly 

 so longitudinally. 



Posterior margin of j)reoperculum straight and vertical, lower line 

 convex, the angle of junction strongly rouuded. Operculum ending in 

 a flat point; suboperculum membranous at tip. 



Numerous conical teeth in frout of the jaws, the anterior row consid- 

 erably larger than those behind. Three rows of molars in the upper jaw, 

 two in the lower. In the specimens examined there are 9 large incisors 

 in the mandible, forming a bold arc, the interior of which contains about 

 five irregular rows of crowded cardiform teeth, reaching back to the an- 

 terior small molars. Upper jaw similar, with 7-10 large incisor teeth. 



