12. CITHARICHTHY8. 421 



third of that of the head. Teeth in both jaws in a single series, of 

 unequal size ; vomerine and palatine teeth none. The dorsal fin 

 commences on the snout ; dorsal and anal rays simple. Scales of 

 moderate size, ciliated ; lateral line without curve. Eyes on the left 

 side. Gill-membranes broadly imited below the throat ; gill-rakers 

 lanceolate ; branchiostegals five. 



Tropical parts of the Atlantic. Coasts of California. 



1. Cithariclithys spiloptems. 

 D. 76-78. A. 60-63. L. lat. 47-50. 



The height of the body is two-fifths of the total length (without 

 caudal), the length of the head twa-seven-ths. Scales of the lateral 

 line subquadrangular ; lateral hne nearly straight, gently descending 

 anteriorly. Snout with the jaws equal in front, rather longer than 

 the eye, the diameter of which is one-sixth of the length of the head. 

 The maxillary, the length of which is contained twice and two-thirds 

 in that of the head, extends beyond the middle of the orbit. Anterior 

 teeth of the upper jaw widely set, much larger than the posterior, 

 which are close together and very small ; the lower jaw with seven 

 or eight distant teeth of moderate size oa each side. Eyes separated 

 by a very narrow scaleless ridge, their front margins being nearly 

 on the same level. Fin-rays scaly. The dorsal commences a little 

 before the upper eye, and terminates close by the caudal ; its longest 

 rays are behind the middle, and one-half of the length of the head. 

 Anal spine none. Caudal rounded ; its length is one-sixth of the 

 total. The pectoral is rather longer than half the length of the head ; 

 ventral much shorter, extending beyond the origin of the anal. Gill- 

 rakers lanceolate^ pointed, one-third as long as the eye. Greyish- 

 olive (in spirits) ; a series of distant blackish spots along the basal 

 portions of the anal and' dorsal fins. 



Atlantic coasts of tropical America ; west coast of Africa. 



a-b. Adult. Bahia. From Dr. 0. Wucherer's Cuilection, 



c. Adult. New Orleans. Purchased of Mr. C timing. 



d, e-f. Adidt (7 inches long) and half-grown. St. Domingo. Pur- 



chased of Mr. Cuming. 

 g-o. Adult and half-grown : skins. Jamaica. From Dr. Parnell's 



Collection. 

 p-q. Adidt. Niger Expedition. From Mr. Eraser's Collection. 

 r-s, t, u, V. Adult and half-grown. 



2. CitharicMhys sordifliis. 



Psettichthys sordidus, Girard in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1854, 

 pp. 142 & 155, and in U. S. Pacif. R.R. Exp. Fishes, p. 155. pi. 406. 



D. 82. A. 72. 



The height of the body is nearly one-third of the total length, the 



length of the head nearly one-fourth. Jaws equal anteriorly ; the 



maxillary extends to below the pupil. Teeth slender, unequal. 



Eyes separated by a very narrow bony ridge. The dorsal rays in- 



