APOCRYPTICHTHYS 265 



of eye, up to at least two eye diameters beyond, the length of 

 maxilla 1.5 to 1.7 times in head; at the center front of upper 

 jaw a shallow notch with one or two very large curved canines 

 protruding downward beyond lower jaw like miniature walrus 

 tusks; running back from these along edge of jaw is a single 

 row of small teeth as given for the genus ; the teeth in lower jaw 

 embedded on the under, outer side, conspicuously visible when 

 the fish is turned over, their characters as given for the genus; 

 at symphysis is a hump fitting into the notch in upper jaw ; the 

 entire body covered with small cycloid scales, those on tail much 

 larger than those on trunk; the median predorsal region may 

 be practically naked, but a strong lens usually shows the presence 

 of very small scales deeply embedded in the skin; above the 

 preopercles they are more prominent, and extend forward to 

 the margin of the ocular pits ; the opercles and preopercles cov- 

 ered with minute scales to eyes; the snout and region below 

 eyes naked; the first dorsal entirely separated from second in 

 one specimen, but in the others more or less completely united ; 

 the sixth spine separated by a wide space from the rest of the 

 spines but the membrane continuous; the first spine very low, 

 the fifth and sixth longest, 3.5 to 4 times in head; the second 

 dorsal very long, ending just before caudal, the posterior rays 

 longest, a trifle higher than first dorsal, 2.7 to 3.5 times in head ; 

 the anal like second dorsal but lower, its last rays equal to first 

 dorsal in height; the caudal broadly lanceolate, 4.25 to 5.3 times 

 in length, from a little more than 0.5 to 0.75 the length of head ; 

 the pectorals broadly pointed, 1.5 to 1.8 times in head; the 

 round, pointed ventrals equal to or a little shorter than pectorals. 



The color in alcohol dull bluish to brownish, paler beneath; 

 the smallest specimen shows seven or eight dorsal crossbands 

 posteriorly, the last at base of caudal, the first two near middle 

 of length and very vague; the top of head and predorsal 

 region marbled with many small, irregular, dark brown spots, 

 blotches, and lines; the upper lip blackish brown; there is a 

 large, deep violet-brown or bluish brown blotch on base of pec- 

 toral, extending upon rays, the remainder of the fin dusky to 

 yellowish ; on upper part of the elongated posterior second dor- 

 sal rays is a large black spot; the membrane of second dorsal 

 more or less brown between the rays; the caudal dusky with 

 pale margin above and below; the ventrals and anal yellowish. 



Here described from four excellent specimens, 51 to 80.5 milli- 

 meters in length, from Amoy, China, and one specimen, 41 milli- 



