PHILIPPINE MACROUROID FISHES—GILBERT AND HUBBS. 483 
tral series consists of 9 (6) scales with strongly divergent, but not 
radiating, series of erect spinules; it is bounded on each side by one 
or two series of scales, which decrease in size anteriorly, and are 
armed with six or fewer subparallel series of spinules; these series 
of scales are separated by a narrow scaleless groove from the lat- 
eral regions of the snout, which are covered by small prickly scales. 
The scales along the occipital ridges bear a median spinous keel and 
a few lateral carinae, well developed anteriorly, but obsolescent pos- 
teriorly; the region between the occipital ridges is covered by 5 
irregular rows of scales, which are similar to those of the body 
posteriorly, but are smaller anteriorly. 
The occipital scute, barely apparent, is preceded by a small prickly 
area; a narrow scute, located just above the origin of the lateral 
line, bears a strong median spinous crest and one weaker ventral 
carina. A series of enlarged scales extends forward from the lateral 
line, each bearing 10 or fewer divergent spinous carinae, of which 
the median is the strongest; this series is separated from the post- 
orbital ridge by a series of scales like those of the body, and from 
the occipital ridge by two irregular rows of small scales. The scales 
on the opercles are like those of the body; those below the orbit are 
reduced in size. 
The under side of the head is wholly naked; the nasal fossa and 
the concealed portion of the skin over the shoulder girdle are almost 
completely scaleless. 
The interval between the dorsals is very short, only two-thirds the 
length of the first dorsal base, which is contained 1.8 times in the 
postorbital. Length of pectoral, 2.7 in the head (in paratype). 
The length of the filamentous outer ventral ray, which reaches to 
the origin of the anal, is contained 2.7 (2.65) times into the head; 
the inner ventral rays, which do not nearly reach the ,anus, are con- 
tained 3.7 times in the head. ; 
The ground color in alcohol is light brown, replaced by silvery 
white over the entire region of the body cavity, with the exception 
of a dark bar joining the ventral bases, and crossing the black streak 
described in connection with the anus and the ventral fossa. The 
under side of the head is light and punctuate; sides and top of head, 
grayish brown, shading to darker on the snout, especially toward its 
anterolateral margins, on the median rostral ridge, and on the an- 
terior and posterior margins of the nasal fossa. Two dark brown 
streaks radiate backward from the eye, the lower one extending to 
the angle of the preopercular ridge, while the upper one, more con- 
spicuous, extends horizontally backward, just below the postorbital 
scaly ridge, to the upper angle of the branchial aperture, where it is 
continuous with the dusky opercular blotch. The area around the 
