Jordan and Evcrmann. Fishes of North America. 1887 



account is correct, the two should be generically as well as specifically, 

 distinct. Gilbert observes : 



"Oar specimen seems to agree in most of its characters with Eigenmann's type of 

 Paricelinus, but differs from his description in a number of important respects, which, if 

 correctly given, would indicate specific separation for our specimen. The latter does not 

 possess a pair of long barbels at the chin, but has others, not mentioned, above eye and 

 along margin of preopercle. The suborbital stay does not possess 2 strong upwardly 

 direct spines behind eye, but it is thickly beset with a number of crowded smaller spines. 

 The maxillary is contained 3 limes, not 3, in head. A distinct slit exists behind fourth 

 gill arch. The origin of the spinous dorsal is above middle of opercle, not over its pos- 

 terior portion as stated in the description. The lower portion of pectoral fin has its rays 

 very much exsi-rted and somewhat produced, a point not mentioned by Eigenmann." 



'j, the elk, from the preopercular spine; eido$, resemblance.) 



229. ALCIDEA THOBURM (Gilbert). 



Head 3; depth 7; eye 3f in head; snout 3. D. XIII, 19; A. 23; P. 15; 

 V. I, 5; pores in lateral line 43 or 44; branchiostegals 6. Body very 

 slender and elongate, the ventral line straight, the dorsal outline descend- 

 ing rapidly forward to the slender, sharp snout, and declining very gently 

 backward to the comparatively short and compressed caudal peduncle. 

 Body highest at the shoulders, compressed, everywhere deeper than wide; 

 length of caudal peduncle $ its length from base of last dorsal ray. Head 

 narrow, its greatest width equaling its depth, its profile convex above the 

 orbits. Mouth nearly horizontal, the maxillary reaching a vertical midway 

 between front of eye and front of pupil, 2 in head. Teeth cardiform, in 

 rather broad bands on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Snout slightly greater 

 than length of eye. Supraorbital rim greatly elevated, the interorbital 

 space a deep narrow groove, with a pair of low, rounded, lengthwise ridges 

 along its floor; interorbital width 3 in diameter of orbit; anterior half of 

 supraorbital rim smooth, posteriorly beset with crowded clusters of short, 

 strong spines, occupying the upper posterior quadrant of the orbital rim; 

 3 of these spines, somewhat larger than the others, lie 1 on either side, the 

 other in front of the supraorbital cirrus; upper margin of suborbital stay 

 continuous with that of preorbital, elevated to form a thin knife-like 

 crest, which is irregularly serrate with short spinous teeth, the anterior 

 the largest; between this ridge and the eye lies a deep, narrow groove; a 

 strong postocular spine directed backward, followed after an interval by 

 2 similar spines on occiput, the 2 series thus formed diverging backward; 

 nasal spines very strongly developed; upper edge of the postero-temporal 

 minutely serrated ; in advance of this a series of 3 spines, parallel with 

 the occipital series, the posterior one remote from the two anterior; oper- 

 cle unarmed; preopercle with 3 simple, strong spines directed backward, 

 the middle one on a line with suborbital stay and slightly the longest, its 

 length f diameter of pupil. Branchiostegal membranes broadly united, 

 free from the isthmus for its entire width. Gills 3|, a distinct and com- 

 paratively long slit behind the fourth arch; gill rakers undeveloped, 

 tubercular. Body covered with slender, short, villiform prickles, which 

 leave only a very narrow naked strip along base of anal, and continuous 

 over the dorsal series of plates, reaching the base of the dorsal fins j a nar- 



