VO l889. U '] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM: IT) 7 



of dorsal less than depth of body by two-thirds diameter of eye. Base 

 of anal slightly shorter than base of dorsal (perhaps longer in the 

 adult). Pectorals as long as head. No trace of ventrals, the pubic 

 bono ending in a sharp spine; the usual antrorse spines before dorsal. 

 Region above lateral line without evident pores. Greatest width of 

 head 2i in its length ; cheeks scaly ; opercle naked ; body covered with 

 very small scales. 



Color, silvery, bluish above: body with numerous small black dots, 

 which are most numerous along bases of fins, caudal peduncle, top of 

 head, and snout, and largest along base of anal. Vertical fins covered 

 with small black dots, those on dorsal and anal larger than those on 

 caudal. Pectorals dotted. 



Numerous specimens of this species, the largest 2'\ inches long, were 

 dredged in station 2804, at a depth of 47 fathoms. 



11. Diplectrum euryplectrum sp. nov. 



Diagnosis. — Allied to Diplectrum radiale and I), macropoma, distin- 

 guished from the former by having the fascicle of preopercular spines 

 much wider, wider than eye; from the latter by having smaller scales, 

 those on cheeks in 8 or 9 rows. 



Type. — No. 41,141, U. S. National Museum. 



HAB.-Pacific Ocean, off coast of Colombia, from 8° 06' 30" N., 

 78° 51/ W., and 7° 57' N., 78° 55' W., 7° 5b v N., 79° 41' 30" W., stations 

 2797, 2795, 2805. Head (to end of opercular spine) 2| to 2f (3| to H ); 

 depth 3f- to U (4^ to 4£). D. X, 12; A. Ill, 8. Scales 8-50 to 55-18. 



Description. — Body moderately elongate, heavy through shoulders; 

 the back not much elevated ; anterior profile convex, nearly straight 

 above eyes ; mouth large, maxillary reaching posterior border of eye, 

 2 in head ; snout blunt, 3f in head ; eye large, slightly shorter than 

 snout, 4 in head. Interorbital space appearing slightly concave, lif in 

 eye. Teeth as in D. radiale. Preopercular process very wide, its width 

 1| times diameter of eye ; spines long and slender, 15 to 20 developed ; 

 the lower angle not so strongly projecting as in D. macropoma. Opercu- 

 lar spine rather sharp, embedded. Gill-rakers rather long, stout as 

 inother species, X + 12. Scales small, rather firm ; smaller than in 

 other species; 8 or 9 rows on cheeks; scales on opercle smaller than in 

 D. radiale or D. macropoma. 



Dorsal spines weak, pungent; second If in third; fourth and fifth 

 almost equal, 3 1 in head; first soft ray 3 in head, shorter than next the 

 last. Upper lobe of caudal longest, If— If in head, lower lobe lf-1* in 

 head. First anal spine 1* in second, which is strongest and H in third, 

 latter 5 in head ; soft rays showing a convex margin ; the longest 3^ in 

 head. Pectorals broad; their posterior margin truncate-concave, their 

 length 1!> in head. Ventrals Lf- in head. Color, brownish above, as in 

 />. radiale, becoming more yellowish and silvery below ; sides with about 

 5 pairs of interrupted black bars; a large black blotch at base of can- 



