530 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



straight line. Dorsal outline from origin of dorsal fin to caudal sliglitly 

 sigmoid, the portion under base of second dorsal nearly straight, while 

 the c:iudal peduncle widens at its extremity, is two and a half times as 

 long as its least depth, and at its narrowest place one-third as deep as 

 the greatest depth of the fish. Abdominal outline slightly curved. 



Snout twice as long as longitudinal diameter of eye, which is con- 

 tained about four and a half times in the side of the head; interorbital 

 width slightly less than longitudinal diameter of eye. 



Bones of head less conspicuously striated than usual in the genus. 

 Preorbital, suborbital ring and stay, and operculum distinctly striated, 

 the striiB radiating ; upper surface of head punctate, with short striae 

 on the upper margins of the orbit and on the occiput. Top of head and 

 interocular space almost flat, a serrated, crest-like ridge over ea(;h eye 

 (hence the specific name). The interorbital space unusu?illy broad, not at 

 all concave, as broad as eye; a slight trace of a cross furrow behind the 

 eye. Central ridge of operculum distinct, and continued backwards 

 considerably beyond its membranous edge as a strong, sharp spine. 

 A similar sharp spine on the angle of the preoperculum. A strong- 

 spine, smaller than those on the gill-covers, on the scapular bone, and 

 a similar one on the suprascapular region. A backward-directed pre- 

 ocular spine. 



Mouth rather large, somewhat oblique, the maxillary extending to 

 opposite front of eye; jaws nearly equal; entire upper edge of man- 

 dible hidden by the preorbital when the mouth is closed ; lower edge 

 of preorbital set with small spines terminating the strite. Upper jaw 

 two and one-sixth times in length of side of head. 



A band of several rows of villiform teeth along both jaws ; tip of the 

 upper jaw emarginate and toothless ; villiform teeth on palatines and 

 vomer. Tongue thick and fleshy. Eye lateral, almost circular; inter- 

 orbital area flat transversely. 



Gill-openings continuous, the membrane not joined to the isthmus ; 

 brancliiostegals seven. Gill-rakers long and slender, about three- 

 fourths as long as the diameter of the orbit. 



First dorsal arising a little anterior to the tip of the operculum ; 

 the third and longest spine nearly equal to half the length of the head, 

 the ninth and tenth spines very short, nearlj" hidden in the skin. 

 First and second dorsal spines serrated anteriorly. Second dorsal with 

 a nearly straight upi)er margin, but slightly highest in front ; rays all 

 once bifurcate. Anal commencing and ending slightly posterior to the 

 origin and termination of the second dorsal ; rays all once bifiu'cate. 

 Posterior margin of caudal slightly concave when expanded; all the 

 long rays except the two outer ones branched, the four central ones 

 three times bifurcate. 



Pectoral pear-shaped when expanded; the membrane between the 

 rays very wide; all the rays bifurcate except the uppermost and lower- 

 most; the tip of the tin reaching to the eighth or ninth anal raj' when 



