172 ALBATROSS EXPLORATIONS, FISHES JORDAN AND I50LLMAN. 



Hab.— Pacific Ocean off coast of Colombia, from Station 2802, 8° 38' 

 N., 7.<° 31' 30" W., and Station 2795, 7° 57' N., 78° 55' W. 



This species was obtained in large numbers at Station 2795 at a depth 

 of 33 fathoms, and at Station 2802 at a depth of 16 fathoms. The largest 

 specimens are about 4A inches long. It may prove to be merely a color- 

 variety of the northern P. margaritatus. 



25. Otophidium indefatigabile sp. now 



Diagnosis. — Allied to Otophidium taylori (Girard), but with fewer 

 gill rakers, smaller teeth, and somewhat different coloration. 



Type: No. , U. S. National Museum. 



Hab. — Indefatigable Island, Galapagos Archipelago. 



Description.— Head 4f (4£) ; depth 5§ (of). Length of type 4 inches. 



Body rather short, compressed, width of nape 2£ in head. Mouth 

 large; maxillary reaching to opposite posterior margin of pupil, If in 

 head. Outer row of teeth of each jaw very slightly enlarged. Snout 

 shorter than eye, 4 in head. Eye large, 3 in head. Interorbital space 

 2 in eye. Interorbital area with a thin crest under the skin, this end- 

 ing in two compressed spines, one turned forward, the other backward, 

 over front of eye, these spines concealed by the skin. Gill-rakers short 

 and thick, less than half pupil; four developed. Dorsal beginning at 

 end of anterior third of pectorals, longest ray 3i in head. Pectorals 2 

 in head. Inner ventral filament longest, 2 in head. Air-bladder short 

 and thick, with a foramen. Scales very small, more or less imbricated 

 on body. Head naked. Opercle with a sharp, partly concealed spine. 

 Pseudobranchire present. 



Color, pale yellowish-brown, silvery on belly and sides of head. Back 

 with about twelve irregular dark cross-bands, the alternate ones being 

 narrower and broken up into spots, two before dorsal ; a few scattered 

 spots about as large as pupil on sides, these most distinct about the 

 shoulder. Dorsal pale, first rays black, and with three or four other 

 black blotches on upper part. Anal black, margined with white. Pec- 

 torals pale, axil dusky. Caudal and posterior part of anal pale. Chin 

 pale. 



The single specimen which is type of this species was obtained at In- 

 defatigable Island, in the Galapagos. Its nearest relative seems to be 

 the Californian 0. taylori. 



26. Leptophidium prorates sp. nov. 



Diagnosis. — Closely allied to the Atlantic species, L. brevibarbe 

 (Cuvier), the scanty descriptions of the latter species being insufficient 

 for comparison. 



Type: No. 41,149, U. S. National Museum. 



Hab.— Panama and Station 2801, 8° 47' N., 79° 29' 30" W. 



Description.— Head 44, to 4f (4f to 4f); depth 7| to 84, (7f to 8i> 

 Length of type 10 inches. Body moderately elongate, compressed, con- 



