PEOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 231 



Anterior part of the tin with a distinct scaly basal sheath, which be- 

 comes obsolete at about the 14th ray. Anal tin similar to soft dorsal, a 

 little shorter and lower, its scaly sheath more developed; free anal 

 spines moderate. Caudal fin- widely forked, its lobes subeqnal, 1^ in 

 head; distance from tip to tip more than the length of either lobe. 

 Pectorals long and falcate, their tips reaching sixth anal ray, longer 

 than head, and a trifle less than greatest depth of body. Ventrals 

 short, one-third length of pectorals. 



Coloration in spirits olivaceous; dark above; pale below, but nowhere 

 silvery; top of head clear olivaceous; opercular spot obsolete; lower 

 jaw soiled golden; no pectoral spot; base of pectoral somewhat dusky; 

 small irregular dark brown spots, smaller than the pupil and irregular 

 in size, scattered without order over the body, rather most numerous 

 about the pectorals. Caudal fin dusky, especially on its posterior edge; 

 dorsal and anal dusky, their lobes black; ventrals dusky at tip; pec- 

 torals olivaceous. 



Head 3 J in length (without caudal); greatest depth, 2f ; pectoral, 24; 

 length of type, 20 inches. 



Fin rays : D. VIII-I, 22. A., II-I, 10. 



A single example of this species was taken by Lieutenant Nichols, 

 with a hook, in Braithwaite Bay, Socorro Island, off the west coast of 

 Mexico. It agrees very closely with the description and figure of 

 Caranx melampygus given by Giinther (Fische Sudsee ii, 133, taf. 86.) 

 12. Platyglossus nicholsi sp. nov. (No. 28,218 U. S. N. M.) 



A species of the ordinary type, withont sharp markings of any kind. 

 Body rather deep; the i)rofile steep, evenly curved; the snout moder- 

 ately pointed. Teeth strong, the posterior canines especially so. Head 

 entirely naked ; scales on breast not much reduced. Dorsal spines very 

 slender, flexible. Pectoral fin If in length of head, reaching as far as 

 the slender tips of the ventrals. Caiulal fin rounded, its angles not at 

 all produced. 



Coloration in spirits, plain olivaceous above, sides brownish, belly 

 paler; an obscure dusky bar across middle of spinous dorsal and ex- 

 tending down the sides ; some of the scales of back with dark lines. 

 Soft dorsal and anal fins with not very numerous small, round dark 

 spots, especially posteriorly; otherwise plain; spinous dorsal dusky. 

 The coloration may have been bright in life, but there could never have 

 been any sharp markings. 



Head 3.J in length ; depth ^. 



D. IX, 12. A. Ill, 11. Scales 2-28-8. 



This species is known to us from a single example, 10} inches long, 

 taken by Lieutenant Nichols at Braithwaite Bay, Socorro Island. It is 

 readily distinguished from the only two members of the genus thus 

 far discovered on the western coast of tropical America, P. dispiltis 

 Giinther, and P. semicinetus (Ayres). It is impossible, from descrip- 

 tions alone, to compare it satisfactorily with the numerous West Indian 



