PROCEEDINGS OF TTNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 359 



wards ; the first from front of dorsal, touching posterior margin of orbit, 

 extending along preopercle to base of spine, then turning abruptly back- 

 wards, the two meeting on belly immediately in front of ventral fins; 

 the second from immediately in front of anal base, in a strong curve 

 behind base of pectorals, reaching dorsal at base of seventh and eighth 

 spines, thence narrowed and continued backwards on the fin; the third 

 extends from eighth and ninth soft rays of dorsal to the fourth and fifth 

 •of the anal, the fourth from end of dorsal base to end of anal base, the 

 two latter bands much curved and continued backwards on dorsal and 

 anal fins, the attenuated ends sometimes blue ; the fifth bar crosses the 

 caudal near its base, and ruus back on fin above and below. Between 

 these yellow bars and parallel with them are numerous narrow blue 

 lines. Dorsal blue-edged anteriorly, this color a backward continuation 

 of the first bands. Caudal translucent with a vertical series of short 

 linear black blotches. 



This species is said by the fishermen to be common among the rocks 

 in Mazatlan Harbor, and is called by them Mtineca. But two specimens 

 were seen by the collector. Several others were afterwards obtained at 

 Panama, where it is very common. 



2:1. Gobiesox zebra, sp. uov. (29250. ) 



Body comparatively very long and narrow, the greatest width about 

 one-fifth the total length. Head narrow, depressed, its width about 4r} 

 times in length of body. Eye small, its diameter about half interorbital 

 width. Opercular spine well developed. Ventral disk nearly as long- 

 as head. Mouth rather small, anterior, maxillary reaching front of eye. 

 Incisors of lower jaw nearly horizontal, rather broad, three-lobed at tip, 

 the middle cusp the longer. Upper teeth much smaller, the median 

 ones compressed, blunt, close-set, a little shorter than the lateral teeth 

 and with dentate edges ; one or two series of small teeth close behind 

 them. Anal beginning under middle of dorsal; the distance from inser- 

 tion of dorsal to base of caudal is contained 3| in length ; pectoral half 

 as long as head ; caudal truncate with rounded angles. 



Head 3| in length ; depth nearly 8. D. 7 ; A. G. 



Back with five dark cross-bars about as wide as the interspaces, three 

 of them in front of the dorsal fin, the two anterior Miuch broader and 

 more distinct than the others ; these bars are all distinct on the back, 

 fading on the sides, which are often vaguely clouded with dark ; the 

 color of these dark bars varies from reddish- brown to black, and that 

 of the interspaces from olivaceous to light pink and bright rose-red; top 

 of head bright red, marbled with light slaty-bluish ; a black blotch on 

 opercle, and two very distinct black cross spots, one on each side of 

 median line, forming the front of first dorsal bar; sometimes cheeks 

 with 2 or 3 pale bluish streaks ; dorsal, pectoral, and caudal more or 

 less shaded with dusky; lower fins pale; usually a dnrk bar at base of 

 caudal ;ind one a(a'oss middle of the fin. 



