70 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OK FISHERIES. 



Body moderately elongate, the back rather strongly arched, the profile rising in a regular curve from 

 tip i>f snout to origin of dorsal fin. thence descending in a broader curve to caudal peduncle: ventral outline 

 less convex: head pointed, the lips thick, jaws subequal, or the lower slightly the shorter: premaxillai \ 

 strong]} protractile; exposed portion of maxillary broad, its greatest width half its length, its posterior edge 

 slightly concave: preopercle entire; interorbital broad: premaxillary groove narrow, completely scaled 

 except a small circular area posteriorly above anterior margin of orbit: caudal peduncle rather deep, its 

 greatest depth greater than diameter of eye, or 3 times its least width. Scales large, thin, and firm; origin 

 of dorsal fin ovei base of pectoral, the second spine slender, curved, and lengthened, its length greater than 

 half that of head: dorsal rays short : second anal spine shorter and scarcely larger than the third, its length 1.4 

 in eye: dorsal and anal fins each with a high, scaly sheath: caudal fin thickly covered with fine scales; 

 peritoneum dusky: second interhsemal spine long and slender; posterior end of air-bladder bifid, ending in 

 2 long slender horns which fit alongside of second interhtemal. 



Color in spirits, silvery white, the back and upper part of side showing faint dark lines along the middle 

 of each row of scales parallel with the back: tip of spinous dorsal dark, fins otherwise unmarked. This species 

 is close to X. iapas, from which it differs chiefly in having the premaxillary groove scaled, the eye larger, 

 the interorbital space broader, and the second anal spine smaller. 



Fig. 8, — Xyslsema baconensis Evermann & Seale, new species. Type. 



This species is represented in our collection by two specimens — one (no. 3416) from Bacon, and the other 

 (no. 3377) from Job. Type, no. 55912, U. S. National Museum, a specimen 7 inches long, from Bacon. 

 Sorsogon, P. 1. The other, a specimen 5.5 inches long is a cotype, no. 4538, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries. 



86. Xystserna kapas (Bleeken. Duhhil. 



We refer to this species one specimen (no. 3376) 5.35 in. long from Jolo, 9 specimens (no. 3417, 341S, 

 3637 to 3639, and 3S22 to 3825, 3.2 to 6.5 in. long) from Bacon, and 2 small examples (no. 3890) from Bulan. 



Head 3.2 in length; depth 2.7; eye 3.5 in head; snout 3.2; interorbital 2.9; scales 4-40-9: maxillary 

 groove naked, interorbital width greater than orbit; preopercle not denticulate: base of ventrals midway 

 between tip of snout and origin of anal; longest dorsal spine about 2 in depth of body: second anal spine 

 somewhat stronger but shorter than the third, its length 3.3 in head or 4.25 in depth. 



Color in spirits, silvery, tip of spinous dorsal black; body without longitudinal darker lines. 



