PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 61 
Lower orbital margin prominent, a pair of spines at its posterior 
extremity, the hinder the larger. 
Preoperculum with a spinulose longitudinal ridge, ending in a back- 
ward-directed spine; a second smaller spine below this, at angle; lower 
limb with two flat angular projections. 
Operculum striate, with a ridge, ending in a spine, on its upper part. 
Occipital and lateral ridges of upper surface of head. prominent, 
spinulose or denticulated above, but without spines; lateral ridges each 
formed of three shorter ridges; no pit on occiput. 
Gill-membranes continuous below, without isthmus; branchiostegals 
five, large. 
Pectoral very long, boldly rounded on its posterior and lower mar- 
gins, broad; the upper rays slightly increasing to about the sixth, the 
five lowest decreasing rapidly. Tips of the longest rays reaching. 
nearly to or beyond the sixth dorsal ray, or to the back of the thir- 
teenth or fourteenth dorsal scute. Longest rays about equal in length 
to the head. Rays simple, base slightly oblique. 
Ventrals inserted on the plane of the upper pectoral axil, longer than 
the pectorals, their greatest length about 4 times in the total length, and 
consisting of a spine and two rays, the spine attached to the first ray, 
which is of considerable length, but shorter than the second, the tip of 
which extends beyond the second anal ray. Membrane between the 
two rays broad; the second ray fringed with a membrane along its in- 
ternal margin. 
First dorsal commencing at about the eighth dorsal scute and termin- 
ating at the sixteenth. First spine shorter than the second, the next 
five about equal in length, the remainder diminishing rapidly. Height 
of the longest spines somewhat exceeeding the depth of the body below 
the fin. 
Second dorsal about equal in height and similar in form to the first, 
arising at about the nineteenth dorsal scute, and terminating at or near 
the twenty-seventh. First ray shorter than the second, the next four 
nearly equal, the remainder falling rapidly. 
Anal commencing directly below the last ray of the first dorsal, and 
coterminous with the second dorsal, its lower margin nearly straight, 
and its depth rather less than the height of the second dorsals. 
The last rays of the dorsals and anal are joined to the body by mem- 
brane. 
Posterior margin of caudal convex; accessory rays few. 
Dorsal scutes 35-36, the two series approaching and uniting a little 
behind the second dorsal; about seven scutes between the point of 
junction and the caudal. 
Each seute produced posteriorly into a large spine bent backwards, 
and frequently denticulated upon its anterior or outer edge. Behind 
the point of junction of the two dorsal rows the spines are in closely 
coupled pairs. 
