410 DE. GtJNTHEE ON THE FISHES OF CENTE.y:. AMEEICA. 



head. The lips are not very thick. Posterior limb of prseoperculum very convex, 

 minutely serrated, with three coarser teeth at the angle ; lovi^er limb toothless. Sub- 

 and interoperculum entire. Operculum terminating in three not very strong teeth, the 

 upper of which is somewhat more remote than the others, the middle one being the 

 more prominent. Suprascapular concealed by the scales. 



The membrane of the dorsal fin is scaly for about half the height between the spines 

 and rays ; the spinous portion scarcely lower but longer than the soft, with its upper 

 margin convex, and a small membranaceous appendage behind the tip of each spine. 

 The first spine is the shortest, rather more than half the length of the second, which is 

 one-fifth shorter than the third ; from the third to the seventh the spines are equal, 

 becoming slightly shorter at the eighth ; the last two spines are of equal length. The 

 rays increase slightly from the first to the sixth, after which the upper margin is 

 straight, becommg again rounded posteriorly. The first ray is one- fifth longer than 

 the preceding spine. Caudal with posterior margin convex. The commencement of 

 the anal is on a line with that of the soft dorsal, and it ends before the termination of 

 the dorsal ; the first spine is short, not half the length of the second, which is long and 

 strong, longer than any of the dorsal spines ; the third is slenderer, and equal to the 

 third dorsal spine : the margin of the soft part of the fin is nearly straight, sharply 

 rounded off posteriorly. The pectoral consists of eighteen rays, is rounded, and longer 

 than the ventral, and covered with very minute scales to one-third of the length. The 

 ventrals reach the vent ; the second ray is the longest, the spine being equal to the 

 second of the dorsal. Canine teeth of moderate size, those of the lower jaw rather 

 small. Coloration as described above. 



A single specimen, 4 inches long, was sent by Capt. Dow from the Pacific coast of 

 Panama. The specimen in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution is from the 

 coast of Lower California ; a statement of its size, which would have been of some 

 importance, is omitted. 



13. Serranus analogus. 

 Epinephelus analogus, Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1863, p. 163. 



D. }5. A. I L. lat. ca. 100. 



Adult. — The height is contained thrice in the total length (without caudal), the 

 length of the head twice and two-thirds. The prajoperculum is finely serrated behind, 

 and towards the angle armed with three or four strong teeth. The diameter of the 

 eye equals a sixth of the head's length, and equals the interorbital space as well as 

 the snout behind the intermaxillaries. The third, fourth, and fifth spines are equal, 

 and contained twice and two-thirds in the length of the head ; the tenth thrice and a 

 half The caudal fin enters five times and a half in the length, the height of the 

 dorsal twice and three-fourths in the head. The anal is deeper; its third spine is 

 longest, and enters four times and three-fourths in the head's length ; the pectoral is 

 at least half as long as the head ; the ventral shorter, but coterminal with it. 



