NO. 1787. SCI^NOID FISHES OF JAPAN— JORDAN AND THOMPSON. 259 



in middle of each dentary, but not as large as canines in upper jaw; 

 outer row minute, closely set, not well separated from inner. Gill- 

 rakers one-half diameter of eye, heavier and stouter in larger speci- 

 mens. Preopercular angle blunt, rounded; posterior edge sloping 

 slightly obliquely back from vertical, lower edge curved; both edges 

 with minute spinules set in membraneous border, slightly larger at 

 angle. Opercle ending in two flat points nearly equal in size. 



Dorsal spines weak, short; third and fourth longest, third 2 J in 

 head; dorsal rays shorter, 1^ in third spine; base of soft dorsal IJ 

 times length of head, base of spinous dorsal slightly more than half 

 base of soft. Anal base 5 in soft dorsal base, its first spine very 

 small, hidden, its second 5 to 6 in head, IJ to 1^ in eye, and about 

 two-fifths to one-half first soft ray. Pectorals long, equal to body 

 depth, 1} in head; ventrals shorter, at most 1^ in head, reaching 

 more than half way to vent; caudal rhomboidal. 



Lateral line running somewhat more obliquely downward than line 

 of back to above anal fin, thence along middle of caudal peduncle to 

 tip of caudal, its tubes arborescent, more so anteriorly. 



Scales ctenoid, present everywhere save on lips and lower surface 

 of lower jaw at tip, buried on snout, preorbitals and on lower jaw 

 where present; rows on sides very oblique, that arising at scapular 

 flap ending near last of first dorsal base; a sheath-like row of scales 

 along bases of soft dorsal and anal, the fins otherwise scaleless. 



Pores on snout well developed, five in number, a central one just 

 above free edge of skin, a large slit-like pair in emarginations found 

 to either side, and one on each side between the latter pair and the 

 central, the paired slits opening on the edge. Below symphysis of 

 lower jaw four, two immediately below, and two larger ones farther 

 back and farther apart. 



Air bladder with 24 or 25 lateral arborescent branches on each side. 



Color, silvery on sides and cheeks, slightly darker above along 

 bases of dorsals; a dusky very indefinite blotch on operculum, a 

 small intensely black spot on axil of pectoral above and behind, 

 mostly hidden by the fin; snout and anterior edges of lips dark; 

 pectorals slightly pigmented on upper surface and on distal half; 

 spinous dorsal with a very narrow border of black, other fins colorless; 

 gill cavities and peritoneum black or very dark. 



The following is a list of measurements of the type, 310 mm. long 

 to base of caudal, in hundredths of body length: Head 30; eye 7; 

 snout 9; maxillary 14; interorbital space 9; distance between eye 

 and maxillary 3; length of abdomen from ventrals to anus 32; pec- 

 torals 25; second anal spine 5|. 



Of this species we have three examples taken by Jordan and Snyder 

 at Wakanoura the type (Cat. No. 67331, U.S.N.M.), a female with 

 mature eggs, and two others in the collection of Stanford University. 



