350 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



length of head. Aual spines strong ; the soft rays a little lower than 

 those of dorsal. Soft dorsal and anal entirely received within a mem- 

 branaceous scaly sheath,. which is two-fifths the height of the median 

 dorsal rays, and terminates before the ends of the fins, leaving the last 

 two rays free; the two fins not falcate, the rays regularly decreased 

 from the first. Pectorals very long, falcate, reaching much beyond the 

 origin of the anal, and to the twelfth hiteral scute 5 the fins one-third 

 length of body. Ventrals reaching to or slightly beyond the vent, which 

 is nearly eqnidistant from their inner axil rfnd from second anal spine. 

 Caudal lobes not falcate, the upper slightly the longer, a little less than 

 length of head. 



Lateral line with a strong curve anteriorly, the width of which is less 

 than one-half the straight portion ; the depth of the curve about one- 

 fourth its width. Plates very strongly developed, extending the whole 

 length of straight portion of lateral line, which begins under first dor- 

 sal rays. Top of head, opercles, jaws, and preorbital scaleless or with 

 a very few scattering scales ; cheeks scaly, breast entirely covered with 

 fine scales ; membrane of caudal fin with series of scales. 



D. y III-I, 24 ; A. II-I, 19 ; Lat. 1. 48. Head 3i ; depth 3. 



Color dusky-bluish above, silvery below, with golden and greenish 

 reflections ; eight or nine vertical dark half-bars descend from back to 

 below lateral line, the widest al)out equaling diameter of orbit, and 

 more than twice as wide as the light interspaces ; breast blackish ; head 

 dusky; end of snout black; a distinct black blotch on upper angle of 

 opercle. Fins somewhat dusky: pectoral without spot; anal white at 

 tip. 



Common at Mazatlan, but not one of the most abundant fishes. Nu- 

 merous specimens are in the collection. 



16. Serranus calopteryx, sp. no v. (28123.) 



Allied to Serranus scriba (L,), but with shorter soft dorsal. 



Body elliptical, little elevated, the dorsal outline gently arched. 

 Snout sharp; lower jaw distinctly longest; maxillary reaching vertical 

 from middle of pupil, or beyond ; interorbital space somewhat concave 

 and ridged. Teeth small, cardiform, two small canines in front of lower 

 jaw; four in front of upper jaw; the inner series of teeth somewhat 

 enlarged, containing 2 or 3 large fixed canines in the middle of sides of 

 lower jaw, these larger than the canines in front. Strong teeth on 

 vomer and palatines. No supplemental maxillary bone. Gill-rakers 

 short, few in number, about 8 in all. Preopercle nearly evenly rounded, 

 the posterior margin nearly vertical and, as well as the angle, very 

 finely, evenly, and sharply serrated, the serrsB on angle scarcely larger ; 

 the lower limb nearly entire. Opercle ending in three compressed 

 spines, the middle the largest, the membrane extending much beyond 

 them. 



Scales well ctenoid, on cheeks small, in about 11 rows ; opercles with 

 about 4 series of large scales*; jaws and top of head naked. 



