284 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
tant characters, namely, the relative proportions of the dorsal and snout, 
_by their help picking out those specimens which appeared to be males, I 
actually found 80 to 90 per cent. of the individuals so selected to be males 
with the Syrskian organ. 
I found it impossible to discover distinctive sexual differences of col- 
oration; all the males and females investigated by me were of a white 
color ventrally, green above, with a metalic luster on the sides. 
DESCRIPTION OF ANEW SPAROID FISH (SPARUS BRACHYSOMUS), 
FROM LOWER CALIFORNIA. 
By W. N. LOCKINGTON. 
Sparus brachysomus n. sp. 
enc a Eels a 53 C, 3-9-8-3; I, lat. civ. 50. 
Body compressed, high; snout and forehead rising in nearly a straight 
line, at an angle of about fifty degrees with the axis of the body, to the 
occiput. From this point the dorsal outline arches upwards to the third 
dorsal spine, then Gownwards in a continuous arch to the end of the dor- 
sal fin. Abdominal outline much less curved than the dorsal, the anal 
portion more curved than the anterior portion, lower jaw curved, outline 
between lower jaw and ventrals nearly straight. 
Greatest depth 23; length of head about 3;1,; dorsal base about 2,35; 
pectoral about 3% times in the greatest length ; snout (along axis of body) 
$; orbit 45; interocular width 33% in the iene of the head; least depth 
of caudal peduncle 54 times in the greatest depth. 
Posterior extremity of maxillary falling somewbat short of the ante- 
rior margin of the orbit, its upper margin concealed beneath the pre- 
orbital throughout; no prominent knob at upper extremity. Lower jaw 
shorter than the appeE: 
Nostrils simple; the posterior a large elongated slit close in front of 
the orbit and on a level with the lower half of the eye; the anterior a 
small circular foramen situated at a lower level than the posterior and 
about one-fourth of the diameter of the eye in advance of it. 
Interocular space considerably convex transversely, but only slightly 
so longitudinally. 
Posterior margin of preoperculum straight and vertical, lower line 
convex, the angle of junction strongly rounded. Operculum ending in 
a flat point; suboperculum membranous at tip. 
Numerous conical teeth in front of the jaws, the anterior row consid- 
erably larger than those behind. Three rows of molars in the upper jaw, 
two in the lower. In the specimens examined there are 9 large incisors 
in the mandible, forming a bold are, the interior of which contains about 
five irregular rows of crowded cardiform teeth, reaching back to the an- 
terior small molars. Upper jaw similar, with 7-10 large incisor teeth. . 
