62 KEOOKDS OF THE ACSTBAMAN MUSEl'M. 



D. xv/12 : A. iii/12 ; P. 17 ; V. i/5 : C. 17. L. lat. -tG ; 49 rows of 

 scales betweeu the scapula and the hypnral joint and about 46 directly 

 above the latei-al liue ; 8 scales between the lateral line and the back 

 below the middle of the dorsal fin excluding those of the scaly sheath. 



Depth before tiie venti'al tins 26 in the length from the snout to the 

 hypnral joint; head 3"6 in the same. Ej'e 5 in the head and 1"6 in the 

 iuterorbital space; length of the snout and the width of the inteiorbital 

 space equal, 3'09 in the head. Eighth dorsal spine 2'3, third dorsal ray 

 2-09, and third anal ray 16 in the head. Pectoral 1'2, and ventral 1'3 

 in the head. 



Head largely naked, though the temporal region and upper half c>f the 

 operculum are scaly, and small scales cover the cheek and postocular 

 region. Profile slightly convex, the snout obtusely conical; iuterorbital 

 space convex. Eye much narrower than the interoibital space, and but 

 little broader than the preorbital bone. Nostrils close together, with 

 raised skinny margins which may be subdivided into a few fimbrias. 

 Maxillary hidden by the preorbital ; jaws subequal. Preoperculum with 

 a bi'oad naked border, its edge entire. Operculum with a flat spine. A 

 baud of teeth arranged in oblique series of about three or four in front of 

 each jaw, compressed, with simple trenchant edges (female) ; behind 

 these thex'e is a bi'oad baud of minute, more or less tricuspid teeth in 

 each jaw. 



Body covered with finely ctenoid scales of moderate size which 

 extend forward to and end abru])tly above the anterior portion of the eye. 

 Thej' form sheaths at the bases of the dorsal and anal fins, and extend up 

 between the rays of the vertical fins. They are largest on the sides of 

 the body and tail, and smallest on the nuchal region, breast aiid abdomen. 

 Caudal peduncle as deep as long. 



First dorsal commencing directly behind the vertical of the opercular 

 lobe, its spinous portion almost twice as long as the soft. Margin of the 

 spinous dorsal rounded, the spines increasing in length to about the 

 eighth and then decreasing again backwards; third dorsal ray highest, 

 longer than the longest spine, the othei's decreasing backwai'ds. Anal 

 opposite and longer than the soft dorsal ; third spine longest and more 

 than half as long as the third ray which is much longer than that of the 

 dorsal. Pectoral obtusel}' pointed above, its margin rounded. Ventrals 

 a little shorter than the pectorals, and inserted a little before the middle 

 of their length ; they i-each five-sixths of their distance from the vent. 

 Caudal emarginate, the lobes pointed. 



Colour. — Almost uniform brown after preservation, the pectoi-al and 

 ventral tins lighter; broad darker bars extend horizontally between each 

 row of scales. In life, the colour is silver grey tinged wnth bronze, with 

 the back smoky and the bellj' lighter. Eleven or twelve dark grey bands 

 descend from the dark part of the back onto the silver of the sides, one 

 being bofoi'e the dorsal fin and one behind it; these are narrow, covering 

 one or two rows of scales, and they descend almost to the ventral surface 

 above the Hual tin but not so low elsewhere. Fins smoky gi'oy. 



