918 ME. G. A. BOULE^GEK ON A GIGANTIC SEA-PEBCH. [NoV. 30, 



1:0 rays, | length of head. Ventral slightly shorter than pectoral, 

 measuring 3 the distance between its base and the origin of the 

 anal. Latter short, III 8, originating below middle of soft 

 dorsal ; spines aduate, very indistinct. Caudal feebly notched, 

 middle rays | length of outer. All the soft tins covered with 

 very minute scales. Caudal peduncle 1:|: as long as deep. Scales 

 rough, 115 If ; lat. 1. 80. Uniform blackish brown. 



A comparison of these notes with Hilgendorf's description 

 shows agreement on all points save the number of soft dorsal rays, 

 which is ascribable to mere individual variation, since other 

 Californian specimens have 10 rays just as in the Japanese. The 

 resemblance with the photograph further confirms the probable 

 identity ; the curious shape of the head, the proportions of the body 

 and fins, even the slightly emargiuate caudal and the indistinctness 

 of the anal spines are the same in both, as any ichthyologist may 

 convince himself on inspection of the plate appended to this 

 paper. The scales are a little larger iji the Japanese specimen, but 

 this difference appears to me to be within the limits of individual 

 variation, as ascertained in the gigantic Perches of the genera 

 Polyprion and Ejiinejihalus. The stronger angles of the caudal in 

 the Californian specimen do not seem to afford a reliable character 

 since Jordan and Evermann describe the fin as " nearly truncate." 



Skull very similar to that of Polyprion, to which genus Stereo- 

 lepis is nearer allied than to any other. Ascending processes of 

 praemaxillaries short, not extending to the froutals, which are 

 large, broad, rugose but without crests ; parietal and supraoccipital 

 hones not extending forwards to between postfrontal processes ; 

 supraoccipital crest low ; second suborbital bone developing a 

 subocular lamina which is longer than broad and rounded behind ; 

 supplemental maxillary bone well developed, half the length and 

 one-third the width of the maxillary. Jaws, vomer, and palatines 

 with villose bands of minute sharp teeth. 



Vertebrae 12 + 14. Pu-st and second with slender epipleurals 

 attached to the neural arch ; third, fourth, and lifth with strong 

 sessile ribs with epipleurals attached at a considerable distance 

 from their base ; from the sixth vertebra, the ribs are borne by 

 parapophyses which gradually increase in length : the last three 

 prsecaudal parapophyses connected ventrally by a bridge ; the 

 last two epipleurals attached to the parapophyses of the eighth 

 and ninth vertebrae. Eibs much dilated, especially the last three, 

 with broad inner crest. First interhaemal suspended from the 

 first caudal vertebra. 



The A'ertebral formula, as tabulated on p. 115 of the ' Catalogue 

 of Fishes,' is as follows : — 



Two specimens are represented in the drawing now exhibited 

 (Plate LII.), the upper figure being taken from the stuffed Cali- 

 fornian specimen described above, the lower from a photograph of 

 the ty|3e of MecjajiJerca ischinagi, from Japan, preserved in the 

 Berlin Museum. 



