DUSSUMIERIID^: QUAESITA 31 



27. Quaesita quisquilia Jordan and Gilbert, new genus and species. 

 (Plate VIII, fig. 3; Plate X, fig. 2; Plate XVII, fig. 1) 



Type three and a quarter inches in length (No. XVII) from El 

 Modena, E. E. Hadley, the head, fins and spinal column fairly well pre- 

 served. Head 4 l / 2 in length to base of caudal ; depth nearly 6 ; eye 3y 2 in 

 head; snout nearly 3y 2 ; dorsal about 12; anal 10-12; vertebrae 24+14 = 

 38, relatively strong, not decreasing rapidly backward, the neural spines 

 unusually well-developed posteriorly, not evident anteriorly. Head large, 

 the jaws subequal .or the lower rather longest, the maxillary reaching 

 front of orbit, jaws with traces of fine teeth; dorsal opposite ventral, its 

 insertion midway from snout to base of caudal ; dorsal short and rather 

 low, opposite five or six vertebrae, the ventral about as high as dorsal ; anal 

 longer and lower than dorsal ; caudal forked, the last eight or ten vertebras 

 with strong neural spines, those of the rest of the spinal column obscure. 

 Hypural plate ill defined, but apparently rather strong, triangular. 



The relationships of the genus QLLESITA are obviously with the her- 

 ring group. At present we place it in among the "Round Herrings" or 

 DUSSUMERIID^E, near SMITHITES, from which it differs in the much 

 smaller number of vertebrae. 



Nine other examples of this species found at El Modena by Mr. 

 Hadley are before us. These range from 1% inches in length to 3^/2 

 (Nos. XCII to CXX). The insertion of the dorsal in all is very 

 slightly nearer the base of caudal than the snout ; the ventrals slightly 

 behind the first dorsal rays. The dorsal is short, of about ten rays, its 

 insertion about twice as far from the base of caudal as from the nape and 

 about over the thirteenth vertebra. 



The posterior vertebrae are strong, those behind the anal fin having 

 especially long and strong haemal and neural processes. Hypural plate 

 apparently broad, thin. The number of verterbrae is about thirty-six. 

 The caudal fin is moderate and forked. The eye is large, about as long- 

 as snout, three and a half in head. 



Specimen No. CXIX shows the dorsal and ventral fins very well 

 as well as the tail and caudal fin. The anal is imperfectly shown, and the 

 vertebrae are partly obliterated. 



No. CXVI, a good specimen, shows the head ; the eye nearly four in 

 its length, the mouth short, very oblique, reaching to opposite front of 

 eye, the maxillary about as long as eye, and the jaws equal. Head four in 

 length. Ventrals opposite about fourth ray of dorsal, tail with its verte- 

 bral spines well developed, the caudal moderate, one and a fifth in head. 



No. CXVIII, also good, shows the head and the vertebral column, 

 with the pectoral and ventral fins and the strong haemal and neural spines ; 

 the pectorals are narrow and inserted low, as usual in herring-like fishes. 

 No. CXII shows the dorsal and anal, with the tail; the head is partly 

 shown. CXIII shows the form of the vertebral column and parts of the 



