254 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



on first web of spinous dorsal; all the fins more or less punctulate with minute brown dots like pin 

 points; opercle gilt; lower half of eye golden yellow; darker shadings along base of dorsal and anal, 

 and a dusky line on under side of caudal peduncle, more distinct in the young, in which the line 

 extends along the bell}'. 



Color in life of a specimen from fresh water at mouth of Vaisigano River, Apia, olive, sides silvery, 

 with a silvery lateral stripe; scales all dark-edged; fins dirty olive, with no trace of red markings, 

 except that front of spinous dorsal is marked with dull orange. 



This species is very abundant in the lower waters of the Vaisigano River and other streams of 

 Upolu. We have upwards of a hundred specimens. The spinous dorsal is high, the spine reaching 

 middle of second dorsal. 



Type no. 51818, U. S. National Museum, a specimen 3.69 inches long, from near mouth of Vaisi- 

 gano River, Apia. 



520. Ambassis vaivasensis Jordan & Seale, new species. Lafa. Samoa. 



Head 2.75 in length; depth equal to head; eye 3.10 in head; dorsal vn-i, 9; anal III, 9; scales 

 2-27-5; interorbital 4; snout 1.50 in eye. 



Fig. 47 — Ambassis vaivasensis Jordan & Seale, new species. Type. 



Body oblong, compressed, scarcely elevated, the scales of moderate size, covering opercles and 

 cheeks; mouth large; profile of head slightly concave over middle of eye; maxillary 2.75 in head, its 

 distal end under anterior margin of pupil; lower jaw slightly the longer; bands of villiform teeth in 

 jaws, vomer and palatines, the inner series in jaws depressible; gillrakers rather slim, sharp-pointed, 

 longest equal to pupil, 24 on lower limb; opercle entire, ending in a sharp-pointed flap; preopercle 

 with flat spine at angle and denticulated on its lower limb; lower margin of outer limb of preopercle 

 toothed; depth of caudal peduncle equal to length of maxillary; second (upright) spine of dorsal the 

 longest and very strong, 1.40 in head; connection of soft with spinous dorsal very narrow, about one- 

 half width of pupil; spine of second dorsal 2 in head, the longest ray 1.75; caudal deeply forked, the 

 lobes pointed, the longest ray 2.50 in length; base of anal equal to distance from middle of eye to 

 posterior tip of opercle, its longest ray equal to longest ray of dorsal; of the three anal spines the first 

 is very short, the second is long, 2 in head, the third is the longest, 1.80; pectoral reaching to a line 

 with second dorsal ray, 3 in total length; base of ventrals directly over base of pectorals, length 

 1.50 in head; lateral line continuous. 



Color in spirits, yellowish white, the baek and upper part of sides slightly shaded with minute 

 punctulations of brown; a silvery band along the median line of side from posterior margin of opercle 

 to caudal, the band becoming more distinct posteriorly with a slight shading of brown; tip and first 

 membrane of spinous dorsal shaded with dusky; base of caudal with slight shading of dusky, other 

 fins white without markings; opercles gilt; upper part of orbit and eye dusky, lower part golden. 

 The side is marked by a silvery streak with no caudal spot or crossbar. 



