SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF EXPLORATIONS BY THE U. S. FISH COM- 

 MISSION STEAMER ALBATROSS. 



[Published by permission of lion. Marshall McDonald, Commissioner of Fisheries.] 



No. VIII.— DESCRIPTION OF A NEW COTTOID FISH FROM BRITISH CO- 



LUMBIA.* 



Tarleton H. Bean, 



Ichthyologist, I'. S. Fish Com mission. 



On the 27th of September, 1888, the IT. S. Fish Commission steamer 

 Albatross obtained in Barclay Sound, British Columbia, a remarkable 

 little fish whose affinities are with the Gottidw, but differing from all the 

 other members of the family in characters of such importance as to 

 necessitate the formation of a new subfamily to receive it. The descrip- 

 tion is given herewith. 



Subfamily SYNCHIEIN^. 



Cottidw with ventral fius thoracic, but remote from the gill-opening 

 and consisting of a rudimentary spine and several rays; with a short 

 and well-developed spinous dorsal, which is separated by a deep notch 

 from the soft portion ; the spines slender ; the branchial apertures wide 

 and the gill-membrane free from the isthmus; gilts 3i, apparently with 

 no slit behind the last; the pectoral fius continuous around the breast, 

 the rays supported all around by actinosts ; the genital papilla of males 

 capable of being received into a pit in front of the anal tin. 



Synchirus gen. no v. 



Body slender and moderately elongate, resembling that of Triglops; 

 covered with thin, tough skin. Lateral line armed with spiny tubercles. 

 Spiny scales in a series along the dorsal base. Head subcorneal, with 

 moderately pointed snout. Mouth small, very slightly oblique; the 

 rami of the mandible a little concave beneath. Premaxillaries pro- 

 tractile. Jaws with slender, villiform teeth in bands. Teeth on vomer 

 and palatines. Pseudo-branchiic present. Gills 3J, no slit behind the 

 last. Gill-openings wide, extending above the median line, the mem- 

 brane free from the isthmus. Suborbital conneeted by a bony stay with 

 the preopercle, which bears a strong bifid spine at its angle. Pectorals 



"Advance sheets of this paper -were issued March 4. 1890. 

 Proceedings National Museum, Vol. XII— No. 787. 



Proc. N. M. 89 41 641 



