ICHTHYOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 433 



spines. The maxillary is contained 3 times, not 3i, iu head. A distinct slit exists 

 behind fourth gill-arch. The origin of the spinous dorsal is above the middle of 

 opercle, not over its posterior portion. The lower portion of pectoral fin has its rays 

 very much exserted and somewhat produced, apparently not the case iu P. hopliticus. 

 Following is a detailed description of our type : 



Diagnosis: Elongate, with slender spinous head. Brauchiostegal membranes 

 broadly united, free from the isthmus. Preopercular spine simple; a distinct slit 

 behind last gill-arch. Teeth iu jaws and on vomer and palatines. A palmate supra- 

 orbital cirrus; others present on preopercle. Nasal spine strong. Body thickly 

 beset with short, stift" villiform prickles. A series of plates along each side of base 

 of dorsals, bearing each a strong spine. Plates of lateral line spinous. Both dorsals 

 and the anal fiu very long. Caudal rounded. Pectorals with the lower rays simple, 

 exserted, produced. Ventrals broad, i, 5. 



Paricelinus is thus not very closely related to any other genus. It seems to stand 

 nearest Icelus (rather than Icelinus), but differs widely in the structure of its ventrals 

 and pectorals, in the very spinous head, and in the nature of the body covering. 



Dorsal xiii-19 ; anal 23 ; pectoral 15 ; ventral i, 5 ; lateral line 43 on right side, 

 44 on the left; brauchiostegals 6. Very slender and elongate, the ventral line 

 straight, the dorsal outline descending rapidly forward to the slender sharp snout 

 and declining very gently backward to the comparatively short and compressed 

 caudal peduncle. Body highest at the shoulders, compressed, everywhere deeper 

 than wide. Depth 7 in length. Depth of caudal peduncle half its length from base 

 of last dorsal ray. 



Head 3i in length, narrow, its greatest width equaling its depth, its profile convex 

 above the orbits. Mouth nearly horizontal, the maxillary reaching a vertical mid- 

 way between front of eye and front of pupil, 2| in head. Teeth cardiform, in rather 

 broad bands on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Snout slightly greater than length of 

 eye, 3J in head ; eye 3f . Supraorbital rim greatly elevated, the interorbital space 

 a deep narrow groove, with a pair of low, rounded, lengthwise ridges along its floor. 

 Interorbital width 3^- in diameter of orbit. The anterior half of supraorbital rim is 

 smooth, its posterior portion beset with crowded clusters of short, strong spines, 

 occupying the upper posterior quadrant of the orbital rim. Three of these sjiines, 

 somewhat larger than the others, lie one on either side, the other in front of the 

 supraorbital cirrus. Upper margin of suborbital stay continuous with that of pre- 

 orbital, elevated to form a thin knife-like crest which is irregularly serrate, with 

 short spinous teeth, the anterior of which are the largest. Between this ridge and 

 the eye lies a deep narrow groove. A strong postocular spine is directed backward, 

 followed after an interval by two similar spines on occiput, the two series thus 

 formed diverging backward. Nasal spines very strongly developed. The upper 

 edge of the posterotemporal is minutely serrated. In advance of this is a series of 

 three spines parallel with the occipital series, the posterior one remote from the two 

 anterior. Opercle unarmed. Preopercle with three simple strong spines directed 

 backward, the middle one on a line with suborbital stay and slightly the longest, 

 its length three-fourths diameter of pupil. Branchiostegal membranes broadly 

 united, free from the isthmus for its entire width. Gills 3^, a distinct and compara- 

 tively long slit behind the fourth arch. Gill-rakers undeveloped, tubercular. 



Body covered with slender, short, villiform prickles, which leave only a very 

 narrow naked strip along base of anal, and are continuous over the dorsal series 

 of plates, reaching base of the dorsal fins. A narrow band of prickles occupies axil 

 of pectorals, behind which is a wide naked area extending downward and backward 

 to behind base of ventrals, the two areas separated by a narrow mesial band of 

 prickles on belly. Similar prickles cover continuously the occiput, the opercles, 

 and the portion of cheeks and preopercles Avhich lie above suborbital stay. A narrow 

 lengthwise band of prickles on cheeks below suborbital stay; the lower side of head, 

 together with snout and interorbital region, otherwise naked. 

 F. E. 93 28 



