1182 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 



rigid, smaller than those of the inner series, which are depressible. The 

 inner series widens into a patch at symphysis, in front of which stands 

 the pair of very small inconspicuous canines. Outer series of teeth in 

 upper jaw enlarged, canine-like, growing larger toward median line, 

 where they terminate in 2 strong canines on each side. A patch of depres- 

 sible teeth behind these canines in front of jaw, rapidly diminishing in 

 size and becoming finely villiform on middle of premaxillaries. A U-shaped 

 patch of villiform teeth on vomer, those laterally the largest, and a very 

 narrow band on palatines ; tongue covered with minute teeth. Maxillary 

 reaching vertical behind middle of eye, 2 in head. Interorbital space 

 strongly convex transversely, 4J in head. Fourth dorsal spine the longest, 

 3 in head, the second f its height; longest ray of soft dorsal 2 in head, 

 the outline of fin everywhere convexly rounded; anal spines strong and 

 low, the second half the height of the third, which equals length of eye 

 and snout ; soft rays high, the angle rounded, the posterior portion of 

 fin straight, not concave; longest anal ray half head; caudal lunate, 

 the longest ray If in head. Scales small, not arranged in regular series, 

 partially embedded, those on head and hinder part of body smooth ; head 

 wholly scaled, except premaxillaries and anterior part of maxillaries; 

 fins naked, except basal half of caudal ; sides covered with numerous 

 very minute accessory scales ; scales apparently in about 90 transverse 

 series above the lateral line, but extremely difficult to determine ; scales 

 on cheeks, top of head, and above the lateral line anteriorly much reduced 

 in size. Color in spirits: Sides of head and body everywhere profusely 

 covered with round brown spots, those on caudal peduncle largest, half 

 the diameter of the pupil, those anteriorly and above becoming much 

 smaller, those on top of head about the size of a pin head; on sides these 

 spots are surrounded with reticulations of grayish silvery, this ground 

 color darker and brownish on upper parts ; a dark brown streak behind 

 the maxillary, and one on membrane of premaxillary ; vertical fins light, 

 soft dorsal and anal with brown streaks on membranes between the rays 

 on basal half, and a few indistinct brown spots on middle of fin ; caudal 

 brown spotted, with a narrow white margin ; pectorals light at base, the 

 distal half blackish, with a wide pale border posteriorly; ventrals with 

 brown streaks along membranes on inner face. (Gilbert.) Length 2 feet. 



longest anal ray 1%; longest dorsal ray 2; longest dorsal spine 3%. Caudal, upper lobe 1%; 

 ventrals 2. Body deep, robust; anterior profile rather steep and straight; lower jaw moderately 

 projecting. Small canines in both jaws; preopercle with notch and a salient angle. Gill rakers 

 about 15 + 25, rather stout, the longest about 7% in head; snout 3%. Posterior nostril oblong, 

 4 times as long as anterior. Dorsal spines low, the third and fourth but little longer than the 

 last. Dorsal fin pointed; anal very high, triangular in form, anterior margin convex, posterior 

 concave. Sixth soft ray very high, reaching far beyond tip of last, which is short; spines grad- 

 uated. Caudal fin broad, on a broad peduncle, unequally lunate. Upper lobe longer and broader 

 than lower. Pectorals rounded. Color: Olive gray ground, paler below, clouded with dark above; 

 everywhere covered with small, roundish, dark olive or bronzed spots, so thick as to obscure the 

 ground color; very close-set on head and back, small and distinct, not larger than anterior nos- 

 tril, growing larger and less thick, dense below; posteriorly still larger, often half diameter of 

 pupil, and tending to run together, forming elongate blotches and vermiculations. Dorsal simi- 

 larly spotted with spots which grow faint in soft rays; pectoral, anal, and caudal like soft dorsal. 

 All soft fins growing dusky toward margin. Soft dorsal, anal, and caudal very narrowly edged 

 with pale. Pectoral with broader pale margin ; ventral like pectoral, pale edge narrower. When 

 seen from back an appearance of about 10 very faint dusky cross shades, probably more conspicu- 

 ous in young. 



