MACRURUS CARMINIFER. 205 



the angles being rounded off, pointed at the snout. Nape narrow. Crown 

 wider than the snout, low, convex. A median rostral ridge extending back 

 to the interorbitul space, but not prominent above the generally convex 

 surface. Snout short, as long as the eye, pointed, ending in a rosette 

 of small spines ; prenarial angles hardly distinct, also marked by small 

 rosettes. The length of the snout equals five sixths of the width of the 

 interorbital space ; the distance of the tip from the intermaxillary equals 

 the distance from the nasal cavity or two thirds of the length of the eye. 

 Mouth small; maxillary subtending the anterior third of the orbit, hardly 

 as long as the snout. Barbel rather stout, stiff and rigid, three fourths as 

 long as the eye, subcylindrical nearly to the point and thence tapering 

 rapidly. Eye large, as long as the snout, five sixths of the interorbital 

 width, four fifteenths of the length of the head. Exposed surface of the 

 interoperculum small, triangular. Preopercular ridge curved backward at 

 the lower angle. Teeth small, in narrow band.s, subequal. Gill rakers 

 short, tubercular, each crowned with several spines. Suborbital i^idge low, 

 rounded on the edge, hardly subtending the orbit. The distance from the 

 snout to the vent is one and one half times the length of the head. Vent 

 near the anal origin. Nine to ten long pyloric appendages. Second 

 dorsal spine strongest, compressed, sharp-edged and serrated in front, 

 grooved behind, about three fourths as long as the head, ending in a 

 filament, situated little backward of the axil of the pectoral. Second dorsal 

 fin very low and feeble, originating one length of the base of the first 

 dorsal behind the latter. Anal fin more developed than the dorsal, first i-ay 

 below the middle of the space between the dorsals. Pectorals small, three 

 fifths of the length of the head, pointed. Ventrals small, first ray, with a 

 long filament, as long as the head ; bases situated backward of tho.se of 

 the pectorals, and forward of the ba.se of the first dorsal. Scales moderate, 

 imbricate, about thirty in a transverse series from the first anal ray to 

 the first dorsal, six in a series from the lateral line to the dorsal fin. 

 Each scale harsh with longitudinal series of spines, subequal in height, the 

 median of which is longest. Nine or more series can be seen on a single 

 scale of the flanks. The lateral line rises abruptly and reaches its greatest 

 height below the middle of the first dorsal, whence it descends gradually. 



Brown, the spines of the scales producing a pilose grayish brown 

 appearance. Linings of mouth and body cavity black. 



Description from a specimen of twelve inches in length. In the young 



