FISHES — SCIAENIDAE — AMBLODON GRUNNIENS. 97 



Though elongated, the general aspect of this fish is anything but slender. Its dorsal outline 

 is q'lite arched, and the profile of the head very sloping. The greatest depth, measured under 

 the first dorsal fin^ constitutes a little less than tlie third of the total length, in which it is not 

 contained quite three times and a half. The body is very much compressed, particularly tho 

 dorsal and caudal regions ; from the lateral line upwards the thickness tapers away towards the 

 insertion of the dorsal fin. The peduncle of the tail is comparatively slender. The head 

 enters about four times in the total length. Its external aspect is rounded off, the snout being 

 very blunt, rither thick, and projecting beyond the lower jaw. The profile, over the interocular 

 region, is slightly depressed, though the surface preserves its convexity. The mouth is rather 

 above than below the moderate size. The teeth are of the velvet-like type, the outer premaxil- 

 lary row alone being rather large, conical, and canine-like. The eye is well developed, 

 subcircular in shape, its diameter entering a little over five times in the length of the side of 

 the head. The nostrils are much nearer tlie anterior rim of the orbit than the extremity of tho 

 snout. The limb of the preopercle is prominently convex and subcrenated ; the opercular 

 apparatus is otherwise spineless. The branchial apertures are continuous under the throat, and 

 the branchiostegals number seven on either side. 



The anterior dorsal fin is subtriangular and higher than the second. The first spine is very 

 small and inconspicuous ; the second and third spines are the highest. Nine spines compose 

 that fin ; a tenth spine belongs to the second fin, the base of which is nearly double that of the 

 first. A vertical line dropped from the origiu of the anterior dorsal would intersect the origin 

 of the ventrals, and ppss immediately behind the base of the pectorals. The second dorsal fin 

 is higher posteriorly than anteriorly. The caudal fin coastitutes nearly the fifth of the total 

 length; its posterior margin is subtruncated or convex. The anal fin is comparatively small, 

 provided anteriorly with two spiny rays, the first of which being quite diminutive and rudi- 

 mentary, whilst the second is very stout, though not so long as the adjoining soft rays. The 

 fcpine at the external margin of the ventrals is of moderate development; the tips of tlie latter 

 fins are far from reaching the vent, which itself I- situated at a short distance in advance of the 

 anterior margin of the anal fin. The pectorals are quite elongated and sublanceolated. 



Br. VII : VII ; D IX, I, 33 ; A II, T ; C 3, 1, 8, 7, 1, 2 ; V I, 5 ; P 17 or 18. 



The scales are of medium size, deeper than long ; posteriorly pectinated, and provided with 

 radiating furrows upon their anterior section only. The lateral line is nearly parallel with the 

 dorsal outline, follows the middle of the peduncle of the tail, and extends to the very margin of 

 the caudal fin. 



The color is of a silvery bluish grey appearance, darker along the dorsal region and upper 

 surface of the head than beueath. The fins are greyish olive ; and in the specimen before us 

 the anal is maculated. 



Bejerences to the figures. — Plate XXIII, fig. 1, represents Amhlodon grunniens, somewhat 



reduced in size. Fig. 2 is a scale from the dorsal region. Fig. 3, a scale from the lateral line. 



Fig. 4, a scale from the abdominal region. 



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