PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM, 65 
smaller and more numerous near the lateral! line.. The region above and 
behind the pectorals beset with numerous purple spots, smaller than 
those above the lateral line. Beneath the lateral line, on the posterior 
part of the body, there are no spots, except along the line of the anal; 
but probably this is the result of exposure to alcohol, which has caused 
the disappearance of most of the spots from the smaller specimen, the 
color of which, when fresher, was like that of the larger. 
Throat and greater portion of gill-:membranes without blotches, but 
sown with dark points, which occur also over the whole of the body and 
the interior of the mouth. TFleshy bases of caudal and pectorals with sev- 
eral purple blotches. Fins darker than the body; and showing trages of 
blotches of a deeper tint, especially upon the caudal. 
Vertebree numerous; vertebral column highly flexible and soft. 
Cranial bones tolerably firm, those of the face and opercles, &e., highly. 
flexible. 
_ Entire body characterized bya lack of firmness, as it can be doubled 
up as readily as a piece of soft, thick rag. Swim-bladder large. 
JTappend measurements of the two specimens, but many of these must 
be regarded as approximate only, in consequence of the distortion aris- 
ing from the softness of texture of the fish, together with that conse- 
quent upon cutting them open shortly after they were first procured. 
In the larger specimen the ventrals are partly destroyed, and the tips 
of many of the dorsal and anal rays are wanting. 
The shape of the head in the two examples is very. different, doubtless 
owing to the flexibility of the bones. In the larger the snout is bluff, 
almost perpendicular, the dorsal outline rises rapidly to the origin of the 
dorsal, and the tip of the premaxillaries is far below the eye; while in 
the smaller the dorsal outline slopes regularly from the tip of the snout, 
which is almost level with the lower margin of the eye, to the origin of 
the dorsal. 
Dimensions. 
No. 1. No. 2 
nialWancuascoulnoMednUdl feat eto Sona cdotcecoreecescuse ole ssceeeeesee 102 113 
Greatest depth (approximate)...--.+------.+------- 28 33 
Depth of peduncle of tail where narrowest. 3 = 
LSE OGG IP argentine ae az 24 
LENT IG OGE Eh OSES Ae See ea ee ee 3 g 
CEce PNT aH DULL a GUE gS) ey, a ae ue 38 
PORE HALG aL DOOM p ert soeais elciaw im esls <4 aca sacei ee eec menos tecie nae senies Josceee PEM awobecen se = 
Henethof snout._2-2.=---.-2-- Si be edat nucisce mons soteneas desea eceeec ase. Tae a, g 
SirentimSO MG LOTOLI PUN Gin COrsalls._-eeomae naeodeceeteancessteces she eeosca cases 22 aff 
He uUREe Ane) OL SHOU eee cee aetna cnc coe eto ee oe ae ee eee See i 54 64 
iene that longest posterior dorsal rays-----.-0-.-c-+=2---s-2--00e-aeeesss5-2-- 1A asecso Aonce 
iinet albeiweendorsaleand caudal... 02 .c- s-cecseeeeceoe cael fee ecebt Lee. g z 
Bepetienian dipletoranaletin: 22322250... cen ocesaues cance ccuciect os oeeseacaeee 5 53 
hence tla Cay ee SP SEB Se ET NE Ree SEER: eo ee eRe ee tk ae ea eee ee 34 33 
Gimamot dorsal to upper axilof pectoral: .2.--... 02... -2ceenedcee ees cesses. 12 2 
Smet cil Of pectoral tomip Of SNOUb.. 2... lcckcedencec veceeeelscec sscnesece- 2g 23 
SLicch gifim vay? TEMAS EL RS NS aa ee ae ee ae eee 14 i 
EGEMMEGIEVEN UCAS (oa hae tee Cs Oe SURES Sacco Ack Fatty t Re: (aN eee occac a 
Cer Sinai et OaP COR SFALIIS ER Se eae oe 5D 52 or 53 
22 Ube Tei Gil ainuill REA tae A See tee ll oe ee ae eee eee 40 37 
Wamber oh oroups of spinesin lateral line... ....+-+-ccccesece ce cesceeses-cae- \Circa 110 Circa 120 
/ > ~ 
Proc. Nat. Mus. 80 5 May 24, isso. 
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