84 NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN. 



less compressed than either A. ocellatus or A, radiosus. A 

 transverse section across the middle of the body is a nearly 

 equilateral triangle. Caudal region short. Head nearly as 

 wide as high; cheeks swollen; forehead rather broad, con- 

 verging forward on the edges. Occipital concavity wide and 

 deep, free from scales in a. large space below the ends of the 

 first and second dorsal rays, this bare space being apparently 

 for the reception of the fleshy bait bulb, which latter has two 

 elongate lobes. Snout as long as the orbit, broad, truncate. 

 Chin vertical; symphyseal knob prominent. Mouth wide, 

 subvertical. Eye small; orbit twice as long, hardly more 

 than half the interorbital space. First and second dorsal rays 

 equal in length, not inclusive of the two elongate fleshy fringed 

 lobes surmounting the first. The base of the first rav stands 

 forward prominently over the mouth, being free for some dis- 

 tance. The greater portion of the second ray is free, while 

 the third is connected with the dorsum, by the skin, from base 

 nearly to tip. This last ray is larger than either of its fellows. 

 Soft dorsal large; middle rays longest, as long as the distance 

 from the maxillary to the hind edge of the operculum, or as 

 long as the rays of the caudal fin; fin not reaching back to 

 the bases of the caudal rays, fringed. Hind margin of caudal 

 convex, fringed. Anal moderate, rays prominent in the mar- 

 gin, fin with a blunt angle on the outer edge, subtending, 

 when laid up against the tail, one-fourth or more of the length 

 of the caudal rays. The rays on the pectoral fins extend out 

 beyond the margins more noticeab y than those of the other 

 fins. Ventrals small, in most instances with six points on the 

 outer margin, in one case having but five. Greatest length 

 of the caudal nearly one-fourth of the total length. Length 

 of each maxillary two-thirds of the caudal. Scales short, 

 small, close set, harsh to the touch, having none of the velvety 

 appearance. 



Uniform black; inside of mouth black; bait white. 



Great Bahama Banks. 



This species is readily separated from A. firinciftis of auth- 

 ors by the short first dorsal spine. The specific name is 



