320 NEW YORK STATE MUSEIUM 



the length of head and one thirteenth of total to base of caudal; 

 caudal peduncle slightly depressed, a little broader than deep, 

 with a slight dermal keel; head broad, broader above than 

 below, three tenths of total length to base of caudal; inter- 

 orbital space nearly two thirds of length of postorbital part of 

 head, with a broad, shallow, naked, median groove, which is 

 wider behind and forks at the nape; supraorbital bones with 

 radiating striae; distance between nostrils a little more than 

 one sixth of length of snout; jaws comparatively short, strong, 

 tai)ering, very stiff, lower jaw wider and longer than upper, both 

 jaws with broad bands of small teeth on the sides, within these 

 a series of very large knife-shaped teeth. The length of the 

 longest teeth is a little more than three times their breadth. 

 Posterior teeth in both jaws directed backward, anterior teeth 

 erect, number of large teeth about 25 on each side of the upper 

 jaw and 23 below, length of the large teeth about one fifth of 

 diameter of eye, no vomerine teeth. Upper jaw from eye about 

 one and three fourth times as long as the rest of the head; eye 

 large, one seventh as long as snout, three eighths of postorbital 

 part of head, and five ninths of interorbital width; maxillary 

 entirely covered by preorbital; cheeks densely scaled; opercles 

 scaly only along anterior margin; scales minute, specially on 

 the back, somewhat larger below. Dorsal fin rather high in 

 front, becoming low posteriorly, the bight of its anterior lobe 

 equaling postorbital part of head, its longest ray two fifths of 

 length of dorsal base. In a young example, 6^ inches long, the 

 posterior part of the dorsal is much elevated, the longest ray 

 equaling the distance from middle of pupil to end of head. 

 Caudal fin lunate, its lower lobe nearly one half longer than 

 the upper; middle rays about as long as eye; anal fin falcate, low 

 posteriorly, its anterior lobe equal to anterior dorsal lobe; ven- 

 tral fins inserted midway between base of caudal and middle of 

 eye, a little shorter than pectorals, and equal to postorbital part 

 of head; upper ray of pectorals broad, sharp edged, length of 

 I><'< lni;il three and two fifths in head, and slightly greater than 

 postorbital part of head. D. i, 21-23; A. i, 20-23; Y. 6; T. 14. 



