SPAROID FISHES OF AMERICA AND EUROPE. 459 



Subfamily III.— XENICHTHYIN^. 



IX. XENOCYS. 



Xenocys .Jordan & Bollmaii, Proc. U. S. N. M. 1889, KiO (jessiw). 



Type: Xenocys jesskc Jordan & Bollman, 



Etymology: fivoc, strange; wxnc, swift. 



This genus is closely related to Xcnistitis. The single species inhabits 

 rockj' shores in the eastern Pacific and is a fish of remarkably grace- 

 ful form. 



ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF XENOCYS. 



a. Body elliptical, compressed; mouth moderate, the lower jaw projecting, the broad 

 maxillary reaching nearly to the middle of pupil, 2'j- in headj eye large, its 

 length less than snout, 3| in head; preorhital narrow, 2g- in eye, entire; teeth 

 very small, the bands wider than in Xenistius call fornien sis; those on vomer in a 

 /\-8haped patch; nostrils minute, close together, the anterior round, the poste- 

 rior oblong; preojiercle with fine serrre, the lower bluntish; ojiercle without 

 spines; gill-rakers long and slendex", x+23; cheeks and top of head with small 

 scales; lower jaw and snout with rudimentary scales; maxillary naked; scales 

 on body small, firm, ctenoid; dorsal fins wholly separate, the spines slender and 

 pungent, the fourth half of head; soft dorsal longer than anal, its base | of an 

 eye's diameter shorter than spinous dorsal; third anal spine longest, 4 in head; 

 soft i>arts of vertical fins covered with small scales; caudal deeply forked, its 

 peduncle slender, the xipper lobe 1 j in head ; pectorals long, pointed. If in head ; 

 color grayish black, silvery below, with 7 distinct straight parallel stripes on 

 back and sides, extending forward on top and sides of head; fins dusky, excerpt 

 the venti-als. Head, 3i in length; depth 2f. D. x-i, 13; A. iii, 11. Scales, 

 8-51-15 Jessi.e, 29. 



29. XENOCYS JESSIiE. 



Xenocys jessiw Jordan & Bollman, Proc. U. S. N. M. 1889, 160 (Charles Island). 



Habitat: Galapagos I^ands. 



Etymology: Named for Mrs. Jessie Knight Jordan. 



This species is known from numerous specimens (411GC, U. S. N. M.), 

 the longest 8 J inches long, taken by the Albatross at Charles Island, 

 one of the Galapagos. 



X. XENISTIUS. 



Xenistius Jordan & Gill)ert, .Syu. Fish. N. A., 1883, 920 (calif orniensis). 



Type : Xeniclithys californiensis Steindachner. 



Etymology: ccv^?, strange; iVtn/v, sail, dorsal fin. 



This genus contains, so far as known, but a single species. It is closely 

 related to Xeniclithys, but it is remarkably distinguished by the relative 

 development of the vertical fins. 



