2034 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



Body moderately elongate, compressed throughout; back elevated be- 

 hind nape; 2 rows of strong, curved spines along whole length of each 

 side (spines of the other series smaller) ; first dorsal fin beginning behind 

 nape; dorsals far apart; anal fin long. Vent far back from base of ven- 

 trals. Head narrow anteriorly, abruptly broader behind ; mouth terminal ; 

 median rostral plate none; nasals united in front of maxillary pedicles. 

 Interorbital space broad, the supraocular ridges very prominent, with 

 large, flat, triangular supraocular spine or shelf; no occipital spines. 

 Teeth on jaws and vomer, none on palatines. Gill membranes united, free 

 from isthmus. North Pacific. (7tepni$, a synonym of TtspHi?, perch.) 



2398. PERCIS JAPONICUS* (Pallas). 



Head 4i; Br.6; D.VI,7; A. 8; P. 12; V. 3 (I, 2) ; C. 2-13-2. Body com- 

 pressed throughout, the shoulder girdles prominent; width of body at 

 base of pectorals a little more than greatest height and 5 in body length. 

 Immediately behind pectorals the width a little less than greatest height; 

 between dorsals and on peduncle it is nearly 2, and under second dorsal a 

 little more than 2*in the height at the same points. Abdomen moderately 

 swollen in front of vent. The back rises at an angle of 45 behind occi- 

 put, slopes downward under first dorsal, leaving a hump under its front 

 end, rises in front of second dorsal and slopes downward again under it ; 

 ventral outline nearly straight; vent between ^ and distance from ven- 

 trals to anal. Breast and area between ventrals and vent almost com- 

 pletely occupied by nearly flat, radially striated plates, with slightly 

 raised centers and of variable size, with innumerable, excessively minute 

 plates scattered among them; vent surrounded by prickles. Plates of 

 ventrolateral series small, beginning as distinct rows of spinous plates 

 about opposite vent, with an imperfect row of smaller spinous plates be- 

 tween them and the vent on each side, and converging toward anal. They 

 pass along sides of anal, remain distinct to about the eighth pair of plates 

 behind anal, and unite in a single median plate with a double spine; from 

 this plate to caudal the rows are again distinct, the plates alternating 

 instead of standing opposite each other; the superior and inferior lateral 

 series begin as distinct rows of spinous plates about opposite middle of 

 first dorsal, diverge to about front of second dorsal, and converge toward 

 base of caudal; the plates elongated vertically, their spines, rising 

 abruptly from their centers, are strong, thick, blunt, curved; about 37 

 plates in inferior and 35 in superior longitudinal row; between them lies 



* Diagnosis : Body moderately slender, compressed, its width between the dorsals nearly 

 2 in depth at same place; 2 rows of strong and 2 of weak spines along each side of body, 

 and a median lateral row of spineless plates. Head 4J. Preopercular spine large, subo'r- 



. , m smus. ee n oa 



awa ri on ,y me - r i none on palatines. Vent between 1 and distance from ventral 

 1 l.?i L r i 8 P int8) old lvor y" with brown patches on sides, 1 under first dorsal, 

 M,etween dorsals 1 under second dorsal, 2 or 3 on peduncle. B. 6; 1 D. G; 2 D. 7; A. 8; 

 A.j.4, Y.otJ.-4); (^, <s-lo-2. 



