G22 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



evenly, but becoming smaller below. Lateral line nearly straight, ap- 

 l)arently continuous. Dorsal fin long and low, beginning nearly mid- 

 way between the vent and the base of the veutrals; all the rays soft 

 and articulated, and all except the first branched; first rays very low, 

 the fin gradually rising posteriorly, the highest rays 3 in head, some- 

 Y^bat scaly; anal fin ii;imilar, shorter, beginning slightly in front of the 

 middle of the body and ending just in front of the last rays of the dor- 

 sal; caudal broad, fan-sliaped, on a slender peduncle; the accessory 

 rays numerous and procurreiit; base of i)ectorals a little below the axis 

 of the body, their outline rounded; the fin short and small, shorter than 

 head; ventrals short aud satall, thoracic, placed a little behind pec- 

 torals, with 1 obsolete spine and 5 soft rays, one of which is slightly 

 filamentous; the fin 3 in head; fin raj's nut beset with spinules. Vent 

 normal, immediately in front of the anal, without papilla. Air-bladder 

 wanting. Bones gll soft and flexible. The skin not thick and tough, as 

 in Icosteus, but thin and scaled. Head 5; depth 4. D. 40; A. 28; Lat. 

 1. 120. L. 7 J inches. Deep water off San Francisco, Cal.; one specimen 

 known. 

 (Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mas. ii, 305, 1880.) 



334.— BAT33¥MA§TE1R Cope. 

 (Cope, Proc. Ainer. Phil. Soc. 187.3: type Bathymaster signafus Cope.) 



Body rather elongate, moderately compressed, covered with small 

 ctenoid scales. Head rather large, subconic. Eyes large. Mouth 

 moderate, neaily horizontal, the lower jaw slightly projecting; lips 

 full; premaxillary i)rotractile, not extending to the angle of the 

 mouth; maxillary without supplemental bone, not slipping under 

 the narrow i)reorbital. Teeth moderate, in a cardiform band in each 

 jaw, the outer somewhat enlarged ; bands of teeth on vomer and 

 palatines. No barbels. Branchiostegals G. Gill-mendir;ines scaicely 

 connected, free from the isthmus; gill-rakers few, very short. Pseudo- 

 branchiiTS large. Cheeks scaly ; rest of head naked. Opercular bones 

 unarmed. Mucous pores numerous on top and sides of head. Lateral 

 line conspicuous, placed high, not reaching the caudal fin, its scales a 

 little enlarged. Dorsal fin long, continuous, moderately high; two 

 or three of the foremost rays inarticulate, but no distinct spines; anal 

 fin long, similar to the dorsal; caudal convex; pectorals rather broad, 

 their bases extending obliquely downward and backward, their rays 

 all branched; ventrals slightly in front of pectorals, I, 5, close together, 



