GEMPYLID.E THYRSITES 41 



strongest ; the fin shorter and smaller than the dorsal. Pectoral slender, 

 inserted high, of about twelve slender rays, the fin narrow, reaching 

 nearly to the front of the anal. The fin is high and the rays filmy at tip. 



Ventral fins, jugular, of about seven rays, certainly more than I, 5, 

 inserted very slightly before the pectoral. Caudal peduncle broad ; caudal 

 fin short, apparently lunate; the rays filmy, about twenty in number, 

 evenly branched, the margin broken, the upper rays having the strongest 

 supports; hypural plate evident; no trace of scales preserved. 



Just below this specimen (which is preserved in duplicate, the 

 impression of both sides distinct) there is a caudal fin, with four vertebrae, 

 apparently of the same species, belonging to another fish. 



The jugular ventrals and the absence of spines in the fins would 

 seem to ally this fish with the BROTULID^ or GADID.E. The tail vertebrae 

 are, however, unlike those of these fishes. The small number of verte- 

 brae seems to indicate awidely different affinity. The few vertebrae, the 

 jugular ventrals with more than six rays, and perhaps the make-up of 

 the tail point towards the TRACK ICHTHYHXE or some other aberrant ally 

 of the BERYCID^E. Except for the ventral rays, it might be left with the 

 APOGONID,E. 



It is thought that the Sunset Bluff, from which this fish was taken, 

 belongs to the lower Pliocene rather than to the Miocene. It has been 

 classified with the "Fernando" deposits. 



(The name EQiti|.iog (high-prized) was used by Aristotle for some 

 fish, not now known.) 



Family GEMPYLID^E. 



36. Thyrsites kriegeri Jordan and Gilbert, new species. 

 (Plate XVII, fig. 2) 



The tail of a long and slender fish from the diatomaceous Miocene 

 of Lompoc, loaned by Mr. A. H. Krieger of Lompoc (No. XXXIII) 

 through the courtesy of Mr. Starr and Mr. Porteous. The portion 

 preserved is eleven inches in length to base of caudal; the whole fish 

 must have been three feet long. The depth at base of the soft dorsal 

 is 3^ inches. Dorsal with 18 soft rays ; anal with III, 18 to 20. 



Caudal vertebrae strong, twenty-four in number. Soft dorsal fin 

 inserted over the first of these and somewhat in advance of the anal; 

 its height about equal to depth of the body below it, the fin weakly 

 falcate; first three rays short, the next rays high, close set, the last 

 rapidly shortened; anal fin apparently similar to the soft dorsal, the 

 first rays shorter and apparently simple, the insertion of the fin opposite 

 middle of dorsal ; no trace of finlets ; caudal peduncle long, slender and 

 with strong vertebrae; its least depth eleven times in caudal region, six 

 in length of a caudal lobe, and 3% in depth of body under dorsal. 



