460 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM, 



jaw wider and longer than upper. Both jaws with broad bands of 

 small rasp-like teeth, which extend as small roughnesses on the sides 

 of the jaw; within these is a series of very large teeth, compressed and 

 knife-shaped, much stronger than in most of the species of this genus. 

 The length of one of these teeth is not more than three times its breadth ; 

 posterior teeth in both jaws directed backward, the anterior erect. 

 Number of large teeth about 20+^0' l<^°gt^ of large teeth about one- 

 sixth diameter of eye ; no teeth on vomer. Teeth, scales, and probably 

 bones, green. Gill-rakers obsolete. 



Upper-jaw, from eye, about half longer than rest of head. Eye large, 

 6J in snout, 3 in postorbital part of head, and 2 in interorbital width. 

 Only a narrow edge of the maxillary not covered by the preorbital. 

 Cheeks closely scaled J opercles almost wholly naked. Scales extremely 

 small. 



Dorsal fin rather high in front, becoming low posteriorly, its longest 

 rays two-fifths the length of its base, a little shorter than the post- 

 orbital part of the head. Caudal lunate, its lower lobe about one-third 

 longer than the upper, the middle rays half longer than eye. Anal 

 falcate, low posteriorly, its longest rays about equal to postorbital part 

 of head. 



Ventral fins long, inserted midway between middle of caudal base 

 and middle of orbit, their length a little more than length of j)ectorals 

 and equal to postorbital part of head; upper ray of pectorals broad, 

 shari)-edged. 



Head 3| in length; depth 15. D. I, 19; A. I, 17; V. 6; P. 14; Lat. 

 1. about 440. 



Color green above, silvery below ; fins somewhat dusky, except the 

 anal, which is pale; cheeks and lower jaw silvery; middle line of back 

 darker. 



This species is abundant in the harbor of Mazatlan, where it is known 

 to the fishermen as '■'■Aguja.''^ It is seldom brought to the market, as it 

 is not considered a good food-fish. Its strong jaws are di'eaded by the 

 fishermen, who say that it is able to thrust through the bottom of a boat. 

 The largest specimen obtained by Mr. Gilbert (So. 28190) was 43 inches 

 in length, and has served particularly as the type of the present descrip- 

 tion. A smaller specimen is numbered 28323. 



3. Cynoscion zanthulum, sp. nov. (28109.) 



Body moderately slender, compressed ; head rather long, compressed 

 and pointed; caudal peduncle rather slender. Eye large, 6 in head; a 

 fourth less than interorbital width, which is slightly less than length of 

 snout. Maxillary broad and truncate, its tip as wide as eye and reach- 

 ing to just beyond its posterior margin; length of maxillary a little less 

 than half length of head; mouth moderately oblique, the lower jaw 

 prominent; premaxillaries in front, below level .of lower edge of eye. 

 Baud of teeth in front of lower jaw narrow, becoming a single series 



