138 New Type of Fishes allied to Nemophis. 



The dorsal fin commences immediately behind the pectoral fins. 

 The ventral fins (?) are almost truncated behind, between the rounded 

 angles; their breadth enters about 1\ times in the length. The tail is 

 four or five times as long as the body. 



The color is bluish-black above, relieved on the head by the nume- 

 rous, but rather distant, whitish or yellowish spots, smaller than the eye, 

 much larger on the body and behind towards the sides, and on the ven- 

 trals sometimes assuming the form of ocelli; below white; pectorals 

 margined with blackish. 



This species is closely related to jEtobatis narinari and its 

 allies, and especially JE. latirostris A. Dum, but is apparently 

 distinguished by the combination of characters given in the 

 diagnosis. It belongs to the genus Goniobatis Ag., proposed 

 for species with a more angular lower dental plate than yEt. 

 narinari, and is related to the Goniobatis meleagris Ag.,* of 

 the Sandwich Islands, but is distinguished by the more decli- 

 vous forehead, and the shape of the rostro-frontal fontanelle. 



A single specimen was forwarded to the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution by S. E. Hubbard, Esq., of San Francisco, California. 



XIV. — On a remarkable New Type of Fishes allied to 

 Nemophis. 



By Theodore Gill, 

 Eead April 8, 1S65. 



Family NEMOPHID^E (Kaup), 



Sub-family Plagioteematin^e Gill. 



Genus Plagiotremus Gill. 



Body naked, much compressed, very gradually decreasing in height 

 towards the base of the caudal fin, and with no constriction ; the sides 



* This species has not been characterized, but a dried JEtobatine obtained at the 

 Sandwich Islands by the Wilkes Exploring Expedition, probably belongs to it. 



