no. 1836. NEW FISHES FROM JAPAN— SNYDER. 541 



posterior edge of orbit. Bands of minute teeth on jaws, vomer, 

 and palatines. Preopercular spine equal in length to half the 

 diameter of eye, broad, very flat, and strongly curved upward, the 

 greater part of it concealed beneath the skin; nasal spines well 

 developed. Anterior nostril with a long tube; posterior nostril with 

 a high rim located behind nasal spine. A slender tentacle on 

 maxillary near its posterior edge; a rather broad, pointed flap above 

 upper, posterior margin of eye, and a pair of minute tentacles on 

 occiput. Anterior part of lateral line with a row of thirteen small, 

 scale-like plates, below which is a row of seven somewhat larger ones, 

 the exposed edges of which are denticulate; head and body smooth 

 elsewhere. Four very large mucous pores on each side of lower jaw; 

 lateral line with a slight double curve anteriorly, bending downward 

 from upper edge of gill opening, and then swinging upward somewhat 

 above its general level. Anal papilla slender and pointed, its length 

 equal to half the diameter of eye. 



Dorsal fins separate, the spines slender and flexible, the highest 

 contained 2.5 times in length of head; highest dorsal rays 2.3 in 

 head. Origin of anal below second dorsal ray; highest ray 3 in head. 

 Caudal slightly rounded posteriorly, 16 in head. Pectoral pointed, 

 the tip reaching a vertical through base of third anal ray. Ventrals 

 with two weak rays; 3.3 in head. 



In the preserved specimen the head and body are spotted and 

 mottled with dark brown, the pattern being very intricate; dorsals, 

 anal, and caudal with broad, oblique, and rather indefinite dark 

 bars; pectoral with a dark blotch near its base and three or four 

 irregular bars beyond this. 



The species is described from a single specimen measuring 88 mm. 

 in length, found in the market at Otaru, Japan. 



Type.— Cat. No. 68239, U.S.N.M. 



Family AGONIDvE. 



PODOTHECUS XYSTES, new species. 



A specimen of Podothecus collected at Nagaoka, Japan, by Mr. M. 

 Nakamura, appears to belong to an unknown species, which is char- 

 acterized principally by its long anal fin. It appears to be related to 

 P. sturioides (Guichenot) , but that form has a shorter anal, ten rays, 

 and it also differs in color and other particulars. In many respects this 

 species resembles the young of Draciscus, and possibly it should be 

 placed in that genus. It differs from D. sachi Jordan and Snyder in 

 having a shorter and broader snout, larger eye, fewer barbels, and in 

 having fewer dorsal and anal rays. 



Head 3.6 in the length to base of caudal; depth at nape 7.6; snout 

 2.2 in head; eye 4.2; interorbital space 4.6; length maxillary 3.5; D. 

 IX, 9; A. 15; lateral line 41. 



