90 KEW FISHES FROM PACIFIC COAST GILBERT. 



Mouth somewhat oblique, the lower jaw distinctly projecting, the 

 maxillary scarcely reaching front of orbit, equaling length of snout, 3^ 

 in head. The snout shows a narrow bony ridge, but is otherwise 

 covered with thin membrane. 



Teeth not strongly developed, in narrow bands in jaws, and on vomer 

 and palatines. 



Nasal spines small; a movable plate on tip of snout, bearing three 

 small, backwardly-diverging spines. One supraocular spine, two on 

 occipital ridge, two on paroccipital ridge, two on preopercular margin, 

 and one or two on bony bridge across cheeks. Two or three bony 

 plates below this bridge, each with a central spine. The bony ridge, 

 as well as mandible and horizontal limb of preoperculum, is deeply exca- 

 vated below for mucous canals, and contains very large mucous pores. 

 Eidges on head usually finely serrulate. Branchiostegal membranes 

 very broadly joined to isthmus, without fold. Usually a single bony 

 plate on the membranes mesially. A single minute black barbel on tip 

 of maxillary; none others on head. 



Plates arranged as usual, all spinous except medium series on caudal 

 peduncle below. Seven plates in front of dorsal, nine under spinous 

 dorsal, four between dorsals, seven under soft dorsal, eighteen on back 

 of tail. Lat. 1. 44. 



Plates on breast subangular, regularly arranged, the plates of the 

 three medium series each with a crest and a spine. Breast with twenty- 

 five to thirty plates. Two or three plates on membrane behind sym- 

 physis of lower jaw. 



Head 44 in length; depth 2| in head. Caudal peduncle 2^ in length. 

 D. VII-G or 7. A. 7. V. I. 2. L. C inches. 



Distance of dorsal from nape equals length of head behind pupil. 

 Distance between dorsals equals diameter of orbit. Origin of anal 

 under interspace between dorsals. Caudal posteriorly rounded, the 

 median rays longest, slightly less than half head. Pectorals not 

 notched, the uppermost rays longest, regularly shortened below. The 

 rays all simple, none of them thickened, the longest If in head. Ven- 

 trals very short, two-thirds diameter of orbit. 



Color: Light above, blue-black on lower side of head; breast and 

 belly dusky below posteriorly. All fins intense blue-back. 



Many specimens from station 3073, in 477 fathoms. 



Xenochirus gen nov. (Agonidw). 



Spinous dorsal present. Jaws equal, or the upper the longest. 

 Plates of body spinous. Gill membranes united to the isthmus, the 

 posterior edge sometimes forming a very narrow free fold across the 

 throat. Teeth well developed on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Pecto- 

 rals divided by a deep notch into two portions, the lower composed of 

 greatly thickened rays which are simple and frequently longer than 

 those of upper lobe. A series of small spines on eyeball abov^e pupil. 



Type, Xenochirus triacanthus sp. nov. 



