170 ALBATROSS EXPLORATIONS, FISHES JORDAN AND BOLLMAN. 



and not spinous ; the inner rather sharply elevated into a short spine; 

 the outer rather wide, extending to second dorsal spine. Temporal 

 region with an elevated roughish ridge, on which are two bluntish 

 prominences. Preopercular spiue large and strong, with a smaller one 

 at its base. Opercular spine long and sharp ; humeral spine usually 

 larger than opercular. No spines on suborbital. 



Membranous flap of opercles not scaly. Gill-rakers short, slender, 

 longer than interspaces, and about equal to three-fifths of pupil. Naked 

 skin of throat with numerous papillae. Scales rather small, of about 

 equal size on breast and belly ; extending beyond base of pectorals, 

 anterior margin forming an obtuse angle; 3 or 4 rows of rudimentary 

 scales between occiput and dorsal. Spinous dorsal high, the first 

 spine longest, If to If in head; anterior margin of first three spines 

 with numerous granuhe; second spiue slightly more than two in head, 

 all the spines stout ; longest ray of second dorsal shorter than snout, 

 3| in head. Longest anal ray 3| in head. Caudal slightly lunate, If 

 in head. Pectorals quite short, reaching fifth ray of second dorsal, 3 

 in body. Ventrals reaching anal, If in head. 



Three short granular interspinal bones projecting through the skin 

 between first and second dorsal, the anterior less robust than others. 



Coloration in spirits grayish (probably red in life); dusky above and 

 irregularly mottled; a distinct dark spot before base of caudal. Dorsal 

 dusky, with a large black ocellated spot between fourth and fifth spines ; 

 dorsal spines with a row of dark spots on their anterior margin ; soft 

 dorsal with three rows of dark spots. Pectorals blackish, a few of the 

 upper rays pale on the inner side. Ventrals and anal pale. Caudal 

 barred with dusky. 



Very many specimens of this small species were dredged at Station 

 2795 at a depth of 33 fathoms. 



At Station 2S05 another species was obtained which resembles this 

 very closely. It is, however, a little more elongate, with rather smaller 

 scales, the caudal fin spotted, and no distinct dark spot at base of cau- 

 dal. In this species there is no trace of a second spine at the base of 

 the large preopercular spine, and the humeral spine is rather smaller 

 than the opercular. Both have the snout birostrate, the forehead aud 

 eyes very prominent, and the pectorals very short. One of these is 

 probably Prionotus birostratus of Richardson, and both agree with the 

 short description of the latter given by Dr. Giinther. In view of this 

 doubt, we have identified the species with the smaller scales as P. biro- 

 stratus, as Richardson says "Scales very small." Besides the four spe- 

 cies mentioned in this paper, specimens were obtained of Prionotus 

 miles Jenyns at Charles Island, and of P. horrens Richardson at Station 

 2802. 



