348 PROCEEDINGS' OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



This species is rather common in the rocks abont Mazatlan, where it 

 is known to the fishermen as '■'■ Anguila hlanca." Several specimens are 

 in the collection. 



13. Mursenesox coniceps, si>. nov. (28136, 28141, 28212.) 



Body compressed, stoutish, head twice in length of trunk. Snout 

 slender, conical, rather pointed, nearly half longer than broad at front 

 of eyes, the distance between anterior nostrils less than half its length; 

 cleft of mouth from tip of snout 2.^ in length of head ; upper jaw project- 

 ing beyond the lower; teeth all erect, not very large or sharp and with- 

 out evident basal lobes ; teeth in jaws small, compressed, blunt, triserial, 

 those in the inner series much the lai-gest; teeth in outer series very 

 small and blunt; teeth in front of jaws largest, sharp, forming small 

 canines which are shorter than the i)iipil ; about 23 large teeth in each 

 side of lower jaw; middle series of vomerine teeth compressed, without 

 basal lobes, about ten in number ; the outer teeth blunt, much smaller. 

 Both uostiils without tubes, the anterior with a narrow free rim. Eye 

 large, 2 in snout, li in interorbital width, its front much nearer angle 

 of mouth than tip of snout; anterior nostril nearer tip of snout. Gill- 

 opening beginning below upi)er edge of pectoral, its length greater than 

 the distance between the two openings. Dorsal beginning above gill- 

 opening, moderately high, its longest rays equal to length of eye and 

 snout. Tail about one-third longer than head and body. Pectorals 

 nearly as long as head, a little longer than cleft of mouth from tip of 

 upper jaw. Lateral line very distinct. 



Clear olive brown above, dull whitish below with olive tint; dorsal 

 olive brown ; anal dusky; both fins with a black margin becoming wider 

 posteriorly; the caudal nearly uniform black; pectorals black, light 

 olive at base; iris grayish silvery. 



This species is not very common among the rocks in Mazatlan Har- 

 bor, and is not distinguished by the fishermen by any peculiar name. 

 It reaches a length of tJiree feet, and, in common with the other species 

 at Mazatlan, is occasionally eaten but not highly valued. The specimen 

 here described (Ko. 28136 U. S. Xat. Mus.) is about 2 feet long. This 

 species was also obtained at Panama. 



14. Atherinella eriarcha, sp. nov. (29243.) 



Body comparatively deep, deepest at base of pectorals, strongly com- 

 pressed. Head short, less compressed than the body, the snout very 

 short, blunt, and rounded in profile; maxillary very slender, almost 

 reaching the vertical from anterior margin of pupil; cleft of mouth 

 oblique, curved, the lower jaw included. Eye very large, 2J in head 

 in the type specimen. Premaxillaries very protractile, narrow. Teeth 

 in a narrow band in each jaw, rather strong, recurved; none on vomer 

 or i)alatines. Gill-rakers long and slender. 



First dorsal very short, its origin slightly behind origin of anal ; of 

 three very slender weak spines. Space between first and second dorsal 



