824 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



1260. P. oblOMgus* (Mitch.) J. & G. 



Grayish, tbickly mottled with darker and somewhat translucent; 

 four large, horizon tally- oblong, black ocelli, each surrounded by a 

 pmkish area; one just behind middle of the body below the dorsal, 

 one opposite this above anal; two similar smaller spots below last 

 rays of dorsal and above last of anal. Body comparatively elongate, 

 strongly compressed. Eyes large, nearly 4 in head, separated by a prom- 

 inent narrow, sharp ridge. Upper jaw with very numerous small, close- 

 set teeth laterally, and 4 or 5 canines in front; the lateral teeth abruptly 

 smaller than the anterior; each side of lower jaw with 7 to 10 teeth. 

 Chin prominent. Maxillary narrow, reaching past middle of pui>il, 2^ 

 in length of head. Gape curved. Scales weakly ctenoid or cycloid. 

 Gill-rakers thick, rather long, few, about 8 below angle. Dorsal low, 

 beginning over front of eye, some of the anterior rays exserted, but not 

 elongate; the longest rays behind middle of fin, not quite half head. 

 Caudal 1^ in head ; pectoral If. Anal spine obsolete. Head 4 ; depth 2^. 

 D. 72; A. GO; Lat. 1. 93. (D. 79; A. 59, according to Mitchill; D. 8G; 

 A. 7G, according to Storer). Atlantic coast, northward ; not abundant. 



{Pleuroiiectes ohlongus Mitcliill, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. i, 3!)1, 1815: Plaiesm quad- 

 rocellafa Storer, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. 1847, 242, and in Hist. Fish. Mass. 397, pi. 

 xxxi, f. 3.) 



IS'S'O. P. amiiScttus Jor. & Gilb. nom. sp. nov. 



Brownish olive, with four large, oblong, ocellated spots, the first above 

 the arch of tlie lateral line ; the three posterior forming an isosceles 

 triangle, the hindmost being on the lateral line. Body oval, com- 

 pressed, very deep; an abrupt angle above eye. Mouth very small, 

 the maxillary reaching to below middle of orbit, 2^ in length of head; 

 teeth comparatively small, about 14 on each side of lower jaw; no 



*A specimen in our collection from Wood's Holl, Mass., provisional!}^ referred to 

 this species, shows the following characters: 



Brownish, somewhat mottled, without traces of ocelli (possibly faded); fins similar. 

 Body rather elongate, slenderer than in other species and more compressed ; mouth 

 rather large, oblique, the lower jaw not projecting, the maxillary 2! in head, reaching 

 to opposite posterior border of pupil ; about 12 teeth on each side of lower jaw, the an- 

 terior rather long, about equal to anterior teeth of upper jaw; lateral teeth of upper 

 jaw becoming gradually smaller posteriorly, much larger, less numerous, and more 

 widely set than in other species of this genus. Eyes large, longer than snout, 4 to 4^ in 

 head, separated by a narrow, elevated, bony ridge, narrower than pupil; anteriorly 

 scaleless, and curved behind the upper eye posteriorly. Scales moderate, cycloid, 

 rather thin; curve of lateral line 4f in straight part. Gill-rakers 2-f8in number, 

 rather long and slender, about 4^ in maxillary. Dorsal beginning above middle of 

 eye, its anterior rays not longer than others; the middle rays a little longer than 

 longest of aual, which are alwut half head; caudal as long as head; anal spine ob- 

 solete; ventrals small; pectoral If in head. Head 4^; depth 2^. D. 77; A. 63; Lat. 

 1, i)0. L. about 14 inches. 



