304 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Caudal fin narrow, forked for more than lialf its length, the lobes rather 

 pointed. Pectoral fins small, not reaching to the tii)S of the ventrals, 

 •which attain the anal. 



Fhi rays: D. X, 18 ; A. Ill, 20. 



Color in alcohol silvery, strongly flushed with rose-red, darker above. 

 Top of head orange. A very distinct oblong chocolate-colored spot above 

 the lateral line at the origin of the soft dorsal fin. Another much smaller 

 one just below the end of the soft dorsal. Fins immaculate, slightly 

 tinged with reddish. In life the color was silvery, with the rosy flush 

 less distinct. 



This species is known from a single specimen found by Mr. W. N. 

 Lockington in the San Francisco market. A few others have since been 

 obtained from sweej) nets in deep water. 



In its relations it is intermediate between the species which we have 

 taken to be Brachijistius frenatus Gill and the common Cymatogaster ag- 

 grcgatus. The frenum of the lower lip is too little developed in the large- 

 scaled Embiotocoids {Abeona, Cymatogaster^ '■'■ Bracliyistius'''') to be used 

 for generic disnnction. Aheona is well set off by the tricuspid teeth, 

 but the dentition of Cymatogaster and Brachyistius is essentially the 

 same, the slightly more incisor-like form of the teeth in Brachyistius being 

 scarcely definable as a generic character. 



Tlie numbers of fin rays do not afford very good generic characters, as 

 will be seen by the following enumeration : 



Dorsal. AnaL 



Cymaiogasfer aggregatus IX, 20-21 III, 22-24 



Uracil gist ins rosaceus X, 18 III, 20 



Brachyistius frenatus VIII, 15 III, 22 



Abcona aurora VIII, 17 III, 20 



Aheona minima IX, 14 III, 16 



We therefore provisionally refer the present species, with Brachyistius 

 frenatus, to the genus Cymatogaster. 



Table of measurements. 



Extreme lengtli 5.92 mcTies 



Length to base of caudal 4.70 inches =: 100 



Body: 



Greatest depth 40 



Least depth of tail IH 



Length of caudal peduncle 15 



Head : 



Greatest length 30 



Width of interorbital area 8 



Length of snout 6^ 



Length of maxillary 8^ 



Diameter of eye 10^ 



Dorsal : 



Length of base 50 



Height of highest spine 15 



Height of longest ray 15 



