PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 357 



Chin with 4 pores ; premaxillaries on the level of lower part of pupil 

 projecting: beyond snout. Interorbital region slightly depressed. Gill- 

 rakers long and strong, about 6-17 in number. Preopercle "with its 

 lower edge smooth, the posterior edge armed with distinct spines, the 

 three spines nearest the angle mnch the longest, the lowest directed 

 vertically downward and somewhat forward. Eye large, its diameter 

 slightly less than length of snout and than interorbital w^dth, 4§ in length 

 of head. Scales rather small; series of small scales on membrane of 

 dorsal and anal 5 lateral line little arched, becoming straight opposite 

 interval between vent and anal. 



Spinous dorsal high, the spines all very slender, weak, and flexible, 

 more slender than in other species of this subgenus; the third and fourth 

 about equal, much longer than the others, the upper margin of the fin 

 very oblique; the longest spine about seven-tenths lengthof head, much 

 longer than the soft rays, which are about 3^ in head. 



Second anal spine exceedingly strong. If in head, about four-fifths 

 length of fourth dorsal spine, and about as long as first soft raj- of anal; 

 middle rays of caudal slightly produced, 1^ in head, the fin subtruncate. 

 Ventrals long, their length more than half the distance from their base 

 to origin of anal. Pectorals not reaching vertical from tips of ventrals, 

 about equal to them in length, li in head. 



Head Sf in length (4 with caudal) ; depth 3| (4i). D. X-I, 25; A. II, 

 8; scales 9-G2-15; Lat. 1. with 52 tubes. 



Color grayish silvery above, silvery on sides and below ; dorsal region 

 with faint streaks produced by darker centers of the scales. Spinous 

 dorsal blackish, darker on membrane of first spine, the soft portion as 

 well as the caudal yellowish-dusky. Ventrals and pectorals pale, each 

 with a faint yellowish blotch ; axil of pectoral black above ; anal pale. 



This species differs from Sckcna armata {Bairdiella armafa Gill = 

 Corvina acutirostris Steindachner) in the much longer and more slender 

 dorsal spines, as well as in various details of form. The teeth of the 

 lower jaw are also quite different. 



tS. icistia is very common at Mazatlan, Avhere it is known as '■'■ Cor'bineta''\ 

 It reaches an average length of inches, and is little valued as a food- 

 fish. Many specimens were obtained. 



21. Scarus perrico, sp. uov. (-^83:^8 U. S. Nat. Mus.) 



Subgenus Ecmistoma* Sw. ; allied to ;S'. chlorodon Jenyns. 

 Body robust, deei), compressed ; top of head with a very large adipose 

 hump. Teeth green ; no pointed teeth at angle of mouth ; upper lip cover- 

 ing about half the surface of the upper dentary plate ; lower lip covering 

 base only of lower dentary plate. Cheeks with tw^o rows of scales, the 

 lower of four, the upper of five ; lower limb of preopercle wholly naked. 

 Caudal fin somewhat rounded, its lobes not produced. Pectoral fin 

 three-fourths length of head : ventrals inserted under front of i)ectorals. 



* Hemistoma Swain.son, 1839=P.s<'«dost'arw« Bleeker, 1861. 



