^^imT'] proceedings of the national museum. 101 



A slight notch between first and third dorsal spines and another be- 

 tween the eighteenth and twenty-first spines. The spines are low and 

 strong, the highest equaling the snont and half eye. Soft rays higher, 

 the longest equaling half head. Caudal short, rounded, entirely free 

 from dorsal and anal. Anal similar to soft dorsal; the first two rays 

 spinous. Ventrals inserted well in advance of pectorals, each consisting 

 of one spine and two soft rays, which are joined only at base. Pectorals 

 pointed, the lower rays the longest, 1^ in head. 



Scales large, cycloid, the lateral line running high in front, descend- 

 ing to middle of sides immediately behind pectorals, thence running 

 straight to tad. In the types, which are probably immature, the pores 

 are not developed on posterior part of body. 



Color in spirits: Uniform light olivaceous, a small dusk;^ spot behind 

 orbit and one below and behind it. Opercle dusky. In one specimen 

 the rays of soft dorsal, anal, and caudal are finely barred with dusky. 



Two specimens. Station 3001; in 71 fathoms. 



Cryptotrema gen. uov. {Blenniid(e). 



Differing from Labrosomus in the absence of nuchal filaments and in 

 the modified anterior portion of the lateral line, which runs on a series 

 of enlarged scales having no externally visible pores. 



Type, Cryptotrema corallinum sp. nov. 



64. Cryptotrema corallinum sp. uov. 



Body elongate, the greatest depth 5.} in length, regularly tapering 

 backwards to caudal peduncle, whose depth equals length of snout. 

 Head 3*- to 4 in length, the snout sharp, the mouth nearly horizontal, 

 the maxillary reaching middle of eye or beyond, 2^ to 2^ in head. Teeth 

 strong, but none of them enlarged, in a single series in jaws laterally, 

 becoming double anteriorly. Teeth on vomer and in a small distinct 

 .patch on front of palatines. 



Eyes large, the interorbital space flat, nearly half diameter of orbit. 

 Orbit slightly exceeding length of snout, 3.V in head. Branchiostegal 

 membranes broadly united, free from isthmus, the posterior edge on 

 vertical from preopercular margin. Anterior nostril in a short tube, 

 a slender flap arising from its posterior margin. A pair of simple slen- 

 der filaments arising from the upper edge of each orbit, one on each 

 side of nape ; none others on head. Gill-rakers very short and weak. 

 Shoulder girdle without hook on its inner edge. 



Scales rather large, cycloid, the head alone naked ; lateral line in its 

 upper anterior portion without externally visible tubes, its position 

 shown by a series of enlarged scales twice the size of the others. On 

 these the tubes are wholly on the under side, each opening anteriorly 

 by a single pore under the edge of the preceding scale. Anteriorly the 

 lateral line runs near the back and parallel with it, becoming sud- 

 denly declined behind middle of trunk, thence running on middle of 



