18. PAKOPHEYS. 455 



the coloured side ; vomerine teeth none. The dorsal fin commences 

 above the eye. Scales small or rudimentary ; lateral line without 

 strong curve. Eyes on the right side. 

 North Pacific. 



1. Parophrys vetnla. 



Parophrys vetuliis, Girard in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1854, pp. 140, 

 142, 155, and in U. S. Pacif. R. R. Exped. Fish. p. 153. 



D. 86. A. 64. 



The teeth, which are minute, exist on the blind side of the fish only. 

 The height of the body is one-third of the total length (with the 

 caudal), the length of the head one-fourth. Snout with the lower 

 jaw longest ; cleft of the mouth small, the maxillary extending some- 

 what behind the anterior margin of the eye. Eyes separated by a 

 very narrow and elevated ridge. Scales small, cycloid ; lateral line 

 but slightly curved above the pectoral. The dorsal fin commences 

 above the upper eye and terminates at a short distance from the 

 caudal ; peduncle of tail slender. An anal spine. The length of the 

 caudal is contained five times and a half in the total. Reddish-grey, 

 marbled with darker. (Girard.) 



Coast of California. 



2. Parophrys comuta. 



Platessa cornuta, Schleg. Faun. Japon. Poiss. p. 179, pi. 92. fig. 1 ; Bleek. 



in Verhand. Batav. Genootsch. xxvi. Japan, p. 121. 

 Heteroprosopon comutus, Bleek. in Compt, Rend. Acad. Sc. Amsterd.xiii. 



1862, Plmron. p. 8. 



D. 80-82. A. 56-58. 



The height of the body is one-half of the total length (without 

 caudal), the length of the head two-elevenths. The greatest depth 

 between the lateral hne and the anal fin is much more than the length 

 of the head. Scales very small, smooth ; opercles scaly, without 

 prominent osseous iidge. ' A longitudinal sharp ridge between the 

 eyes, terminating « a spine posteriorly ; the anterior margin of each 

 orbit with two conical prominences, the upper prominence of the 

 lower eye being the strongest. Lateral line nearly straight. Snout 

 very short, only half as long as the eye, the diameter of which is one- 

 fourth of the length of the head. Jaws equal anteriorly, provided 

 with one or two series of minute pointed teeth ; Hps fleshy, maxillary 

 shorter than |;he eye. The dorsal fin commences before the middle 

 of the eye, and its distance from the caudal is somewhat more than 

 the width of the orbit. Dorsal and anal rays covered with minute 

 (in a fresh state scarcely visible) scales. The longest dorsal rays are 

 immediately behind the middle of the fin, where they are two-thirds 

 of the length of the head. Pectoral short, not much longer than ven- 

 tral, two-fifths of the length of the head. Brownish, with several 

 patches of numerous whitish dois ; fins with numerous small round 

 blackish spots. {Schleg.) 



Japan. 



