352 procj:edings of united states national museum. 



less than snout. Eye, in adult, half the interorbital width and two-fifths 

 length of snout, proportionately larger in the young. Vertical margin 

 of preopercle with minute, even, serrations for its entire leugtli. A 

 shallow emargination above the angle, which is provided with coarser, 

 but still inconspicuous, serrations; lower limb of preopercle smooth on 

 its anterior half. 



Upper jaw with a very narrow band of villiform teeth, behind the 

 conical teeth, which are not very large. A single pair, or more usually 

 two unequal pairs, of canines in front of upper jaw, between which is 

 a pair of sjnall teeth. Conical teeth in lower jaw larger than those of 

 upper, close-set, largest in the middle of the jaw, becoming smaller in 

 front and behind ; about 8 on each side. Vomerine teeth arranged in a 

 crescent-shaped i)atch, without backward exteusion on the median line. 

 Teeth on tongne in two patches, a roundish one anteriorly, usually 

 formed by the junction of three smaller ones, and an oblong patch on 

 the median line behind this. 



Gill-rakers distant, few, the longest half length of orbit, their number 

 about 1+7. 



Dorsal spines strong, the fourtli the longest, the last more than half its 

 length ; the fourth spine 2f in head, as long as the snout in the adult, a 

 little longer in young. Soft dorsal and anal similar to each other, some 

 of the posterior rays of each being considerably elevated, the tin thus 

 being ijointed instead of rounded in outline. In the young these rays 

 are much longer than the dorsal spines and slightly longer than the 

 caudal peduncle. In the adult they are lower but still longer than the 

 dorsal spines. Longest rays of anal about half head. 



Caudal not deeply emarginate. Pectorals long, acute, reaching to or 

 beyond veut, 1^ in head. Ventrals not nearly reaching vent, as long as 

 snout and orbit. Anal spines strong, the second rather louger than 

 third and a little stronger, 3^ in head. 



Scales rather small, the scries forniing an angle at the lateral line, 

 those below it running the more obliquely, those above lateral line form- 

 ing nearly horizontal series, parallel with the lateral line. Scales on 

 cheeks in about 7 rows, one row on subopercle and about 7 on opercle. 

 Scales on breast very small, much smaller than those on opercles. Soft 

 rays of vertical fins with accompanying series of scales. 



Head 2f times in length ; depth 3. D. X, 14; A. Ill, 7 ; scales o-47-ll ; 

 tubes in lateral line 47. 



Coloration in life : Above dark olivaceous, each scale with the basal 

 half dark olive brown ; sides with or without some silvery luster at 

 bases of scales, forming when present faint, longitudinal streaks; head 

 and lower parts of body bright red, especially bright on lower parts of 

 head, the color extending up on the sides for a varying distance ; upper 

 jaw and maxillary reddish ; upper parts of head dark olivaceous ; scales 

 on sides of head without dark spots ; a much interrupted light blue line 



