1414 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



in the smaller specimens than in the adult, but in all they are smaller than 

 is usual in Cynoscion. Eye rather small, a little less than the length of 

 the snout, a little more than | the breadth of the evenly convex inter- 

 orbital space, which is 3| in head. Gill rakers 3 + 6, thickish, and very 

 short, shorter than the pupil; pseudobranchia3 quite small. Scales of 

 lower part of cheeks enlarged, embedded, covered with a silvery skin ; 

 scales above eyes, on nape and on border of preopercle much reduced in 

 size; preopercle, as in all species of this genus, entire, with a broad ruem- 

 brauaceous border ; scales on body small and smooth ; lateral line scarcely 

 arched in front, becoming straight opposite front of anal. Dorsal fins 

 entirely separate, the spines of the first dorsal slender; second spine 

 shorter than third or fourth, which are considerably elevated, If in 

 length of head in young, 2^ in the adult; soft dorsal wholly scaleless ; 

 second dorsal of moderate height, enveloped in lax, scaleless skin, which 

 is thickened at the base of the fin; longest rays a little more than ^ 

 length of head; anal rather long and low, its longest rays about equal to 

 the length of the base, and a little more than length of head ; anal spines 

 very small and weak, wholly enveloped in the skin and not visible ; anal 

 fin nearly coterminous with. the dorsal, its rays similarly enveloped in 

 loose skin ; caudal fin moderate, thickish and scaly at base, lunate, its lobes 

 equal, the middle rays 1| in length of head; ventrals short, about % length 

 of head, reaching about % the distance to the vent; pectorals short, not 

 reaching tips of ventrals, 2 in head; distance from vent to base of caudal 

 about its distance from snout. Color in life, dark above with strong bright 

 reflections of purplish-brown; silvery below, the lower part of the caudal 

 peduncle golden yellow ; middle of sides noticeably punctulate with brown 

 dots ; inside of mouth deep orange yellow ; lining of opercle black ; dorsal 

 and caudal fins dusky whitish, with more or less of dark edging; lower 

 rays of caudal yellowish; fins otherwise translucent, unmarked; axil of 

 pectoral light yellowish above ; the silvery color of the sides of the head 

 and the bright reflections on its upper surface very conspicuous, more so 

 than in any other species of the genus. Length 2 feet; a neat and well- 

 marked species. Pacific coast of Central America; not rare at Panama. 

 (0oo, tapering; %0a/b?, head.) 



Cynoscion phoxocephalum, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 1881, 318, Panama. 



(Type, No. 29296, 16 inches long. Coll. C. H. Gilbert.) 

 Cestreus phoxocephalus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, I. c., 371, 1889. 



1791. CYNOSCION LEIARCHTJS (Cuvier & Valenciennes). 



Head 3; depth 4|. D. IX-I, 21 to 23; A. II, 10; scales 13-90-13, about 

 80 distinct pores. Soft dorsal fin with its lower portion covered with small 

 caducous scales. Body compressed; head conic, more compressed than 

 in C. phoxocephalus; eye moderate, 5 to 6 in head; maxillary reaching 

 nearly to posterior margin of orbit, 2 in head; lower jaw much project- 

 ing; upper teeth mostly biserial; canines small, both of them present; 

 lateral teeth of lower jaw small; gill rakers short and slender, 2-J-7; 

 scales small, chiefly cycloid, those 011 sides of head bright silvery ; lateral 

 line becoming straight above front of anal; soft dorsal and anal scaleless; 



