NO. 1254. GYMNODOXT FISHES OF JAPAN— JORDAN AND SNYDER. 259 
Head 2| in length; depth 3|; depth of caudal peduncle 5i in head; 
eye (width of bony orbit) 3f ; snout 3; interorbital space If; dorsal 
rays 12; anal raj^s 11. 
Upper contour of snout somewhat concave: interorbital space broad; 
concave; eyes placed obliquely, the anterior part of margins being 
nearer together than the posterior parts. Nasal tentacle flattened, 
bilobed. Gill opening somewhat wider than base of pectoral. No 
supraocular cirrus. Dental plates with a rough surface, without 
median suture, bluntl}" pointed anteriorh', the cutting edges concave. 
Spines all short and blunt, increasing in size posteriori}" both above 
and below; a very low, four-rooted spine on posterior part of inter- 
orl)ital space; three low supraocular spines, followed by a row of three 
somewhat higher spines, the posterior of which is above the pectoral 
fin; no spines on cheeks; middle of belly with very low spines; two 
small spines on upper part of caudal peduncle. 
Fins rounded; dorsal 2i? in head, anal 2^, caudal li, pectoral 2i. 
Color brown above, 3'ellowish white below, the color distributed in 
indistinct clouds on back; five more or less distinct broad vertical 
bands on sides, the first extending downward from front of orbit and 
across chin below, the second immediately anterior to gill opening, the 
third posterior to base of pectoral, the fourth just anterior to inser- 
tion of dorsal, the fifth at base of caudal fin; upper lip dark; fins with 
many round brown spots. 
Coasts of Japan, rare; also recorded from San Pedro. California, 
and the Galapagos; here described from a specimen from TokA'o. This 
specimen we can not separate from a Galapagos example which we 
identify as Chilomycterus calif orniensi'^ Eigenmann, obtained at the 
Galapagos Islands by Snodgrass and Heller. It is close to Chilomyc- 
terus atinga (Linnaeus) (= reticulatus) of the Atlantic. Comparison 
of specimens shows considerable variation, but no unquestionable dif- 
ferences among the Pacific examples. 
Family V. MOLID^E. 
HEAD-FISHES. 
Body oblong or more or less short and deep, compressed, truncate 
behind, so that there is no caudal peduncle. Skin rough, naked, spi- 
nous, or tessellated. Mouth very small, terminal; teeth completely 
united in each jaw, forming a bonj^ beak without median suture, as in 
the Diodontidxe. Dorsal and anal fins similar to each other, falcate in 
front, the posterior parts more or less perfectly confluent with the 
caudal around the tail; no spinous dorsal; no ventral tins; pelvic bone 
undeveloped; pectorals present. Belly not inflatable; gill openings 
sniall, in front of pectorals; an accessor}^ opercular gill; no air bladder. 
Fishes of the open seas, apparently composed of a huge head to which 
small fins are attached; found in most warm seas, pelagic in habit, 
