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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. XXVIII. 



convex transversely; the broad interorbital space with a shallow length- 

 wise groove. Snout short and bluntly rounded, its sides vertical. 

 Nasal spines strong. Width of preorbital 2.1 times in orbit. Mouth 

 horizontal, broadly U-shaped, at lower side of snout, the mandible 

 included. Maxillary reaching vertical from middle of orbit. Well- 

 developed bands of teeth in jaws and on vomer and palatines. Top of 

 head smooth, without f)lates, ridges, spines, or dermal flaps. Upper 

 preopercular spine simple, strong, falcate, its length two-thirds the 

 diameter of the e^'e; three blunt prominences below it. Opercle with a 

 strong horizontal rib, but without spine. Eyes circular, without ver- 

 tical range. Gill membranes united across throat, forming a wide, 

 free fold. No slit or pore behind fourth gill arch. Head with series 

 of very large mucous pores. 



Back and sides thickly invested with small plates, each l)earing a 

 depressed spine. The spinous area includes the nape, and the back and 

 sides of the caudal peduncle. A narrow strip along base of anal is 

 naked, as are also the lower side of caudal peduncle, the entire head, 



Fig. 1. — Stelgidonotus l.^tifrons. 



breast, and abdomen, and the postaxial area. There are no enlarged 

 plates or spines. The plates of the lateral line are very thin and incon- 

 spicuous; each pore is armed with a pair of minute diverging prickles. 



Anterior dorsal low, continuous, gently rounded, of slender spines, 

 wholly distinct from the second dorsal. Anal similar to second dorsal, 

 beginning slightly in advance of dorsal and ending well in advance of 

 last dorsal ray. Vent immediately in front of first anal ray. Pec- 

 torals very long and slender, the middle rays longest, reaching base of 

 sixth or seventh ray of second dorsal. Ventrals reaching vent. 



In spirits light gray, the upper parts coar.sely punctate with black. 

 Faint dark bars cross the back, two under spinous dorsal, three under 

 soft dorsal, one on back of caudal peduncle. On the posterior half of 

 sides, just below the lateral line, a series of small, round light spots 

 are surrounded by incursions of the darker color of the back. Fins 

 translucent. According to Professor Kincaid, the specimen was bright 

 irreen in life. 



