14. sARors. 439 



anal. The base of the ventmh falls entirely behind that of the 

 pectorals ; they are of moderate length and reaching nearly to the 

 vent ; the spine is three-quarters of the length of the adjacent ray. 

 There is an elongate pointed scale inserted at the base of the ventral. 



The scales are minutely ciliated, higher than wide ; one of the 

 largest covers one-third of the eye. 



The incisors are moderately broad, little narrower than in S. ron- 

 deletii; they are obliquely implanted, eight in each of the jaws. 

 The molars are arranged in two series ; but there are several inter- 

 calated between the two series of the upper jaw, giving the appearance 

 of a third series ; the posterior ones of the inner series are the largest. 



The fish is silvery, ^\'ith a blackish band froiu the nape across the 

 shoulder and the posterior edge of the gill-opening ; another broad 

 blackish band on the tail, behind the dorsal ; the axil and the ventral 

 fins are blackish, the latter Avith a narrow white outer edge. 



inches, lines. 



Total length 8 11 



Height of the body 3 2 



Length of the head 2 3 



Distance between the eyes 8| 



between the dorsal and caudal fins 1 



Diameter of the eye 7j 



Length of the fifth doi-sal spine 11 



of the thirteenth dorsal spine .... 71 



of the pectoral 2 7 



of the ventral 1 5 



of the second anal spine 9 



of a scale 3| 



Height of a scale 4^ 



Skeleton. — The jaw-bones, armed with several series of broad 

 molar teeth, are of a stronger and more solid structure than in any 

 other fish of the preceding families. The intermaxillaries have their 

 posterior processes rather elongate, the groove in which they move 

 extending to the vertical from the anterior margin of the orbit. The 

 portions for the incisors and for the posterior molars are slightly 

 swollen and separated from each other by a slight notch. The 

 raaxillJiry has the lower extremity bent forwards to support the 

 functions of the intermaxillaiy, by which it is received in a groove. 

 This structure is widely different from that of the fishes of the pre- 

 ceding families, where both the bones are very loosely connected 

 with each other; only some species of Dentex approach to it. 

 The maxillary is pierced by an opening above the middle. The 

 mandibulary is short, elevated, and thick ; there is no free space 

 between the articular and dentary bones ; its muciferous channels 

 ai'e very rudimentary, with small openings. The head of the vomer 

 forms a semicircular plate, its posterior portion being very narrow, 

 with a small groove behind the head. The lower limb of the 

 prasopcrculum is one-third shortc)' than tlio ])<)sterior ; both meel 

 at a rather obtu.sc anslo, which, however, i.s roiaidcd. Thf intcrioi 



