Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 2045 



3 or 4 ventral median plates, compressed, hexagonal. Short blunt spines 

 present oil the dorsolateral series from a little in front of first dorsal to 

 middle of second dorsal, none on median dorsal plates of peduncle; 

 sharper spines on the superior lateral series from near head to near caudal; 

 the very low ridges of the inferior lateral and ventrolateral series bear a 

 few spines near middle, of body; plates of the median lateral (lateral 

 line) scries nearly as large as those of the adjoining series, about a dozen 

 of the most anterior bearing small spines; 5 or 6 pairs of plates between 

 last ray of second dorsal and first median plate, and about 5 pairs between 

 last anal ray and first median plate; a strong sinuous ridge of plates from 

 lower end of base of pectoral to isthmus; a small median ridge on breast, 

 of 2 small plates in front of bases of ventrals, followed anteriorly by a 

 median series of 3 or 4 larger single plates; between this and the edge 

 the breast is covered with small, thin, distinct plates with numerous small 

 tubercles interspersed; the branchiostegal membrane posteriorly and 

 medially and anterolaterally covered with small plates and prickles; 

 whole underside of mandible with small plates and some prickles or 

 tubercles; 4 or 5 large plates in front of, and a number of minute plates 

 or prickles on base of pectoral fin. Membrane behind and around vent 

 and between vent and ventrals with a variable number of small plates, 

 but mostly with numerous prickles or tubercles. Vent a little farther 

 removed from base of ventrals than usual in the Agonoids. An elongate 

 triangular space behind pectoral, between the inferior and ventrolateral 

 series, naked. Top of head, median dorsal, and 2 adjacent faces of body 

 granulated. Head much depressed, broad behind, tapering, its depth f 

 its width, the latter about 6 in length of body. Orbits small, nearly cir- 

 cular, the longitudinal diameter a little more than 4 in head; interorbital 

 space concave, wide, equal to snout, nearly equal to orbit; supraocular, 

 occipital, and temporal ridges low, spineless; cheeks nearly vertical, sub- 

 orbital ridge hardly developed, spineless; a large, heavy tubercle or 

 spine projecting from preopercle at an angle of 45; below this 1 or 2 

 Hat small ones; no plates on cheeks; mouth very oblique, maxillary 

 reaching front of pupil; teeth in bands on jaws, voiner, and palatines. 

 Dorsals long, their membranes sometimes continuous; anal very long, 

 beginning a little behind middle of first dorsal; pectorals a little more 

 than 4 in length of body, their base 3| in their length, with 14 or 15 

 graduated rays (a few of the uppermost shorter); ventrals of female 

 about ^n- those of male ; the latter less than 2 in pectorals, about f of 

 head; caudal 3 times as long as wide at base. Color brownish olivaceous, 

 pale below; a much-interrupted, indefinite dark band from angle of 

 month, under orbit, across preopercles, above pectorals, and along lateral 

 line; a few indistinct cross bars on back; dorsals with a broad dark band 

 along the edge and a parallel one across the middle, otherwise white; 

 caudal dusky ; anal dusky near the posterior end ; pectorals transversely 

 barred by about 6 series of black points or short streaks on rays; ventrals 

 pale in female, the membrane black in male; head and lips with numer- 

 ous minute black spots and streaks. North Pacific, Kamchatka, south to 

 Bristol Bay, coast of Alaska, in 10 to 15 fathoms. (Gilbert.) Here 



