82 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY II. 



— . Body nearly uniform in color above, or sliglltly mottled or clouded : 

 li. Body rather elongate ; depth 4 to 4^ in length ; head broader than iu 

 the next, the front less steep, but the slope from snout to dorsal 

 more uniform; body less rapidly narrowed behind; anal fin 

 longer; its base 4^ in body, the rays usually 21 or 82; dorsal 

 usually rather nearer adipose fin than snout ; the upper jaw 

 more elongate ; color dark yellowish-brown, varying to dusky 

 or even to black, sometimes more or less clouded Catus, 15. 



Jih. Body very short, stout, and deep, the depth 3| to 4 in length ; head 

 moderate, somewhat contracted forward ; the froat steeply ele- 

 vated, the body thick across the shoulders, rather rapidly nar- 

 rowed behind; anal fin short and deep, of 18 to 20 rays, its base 

 nearly 5 in length of body ; dorsal nearer adipose tin than snout ; 

 jaws nearly equal; size small ; color almost black ; form varying 

 to extremely short and thick, especially behind, with short 



caudalfin .Melas,16. 



gg. Head very broad, the slope from snout to base of dorsal quite uneven, 

 there being a more or less decided angle at occiput ; head about 

 as broad as long, its length about 4 in body ; dorsal spine nearer 

 adipose fin than snout, its rays usually 19 (rarely 18 or 20); 

 body short and stout ; mouth very broad ; color rather pale, 

 chiefly uniform yellowish-brown, varying to dark brown or pale 

 yellow; head sometimes yellow {Eaf.); belly yellow; size 



small Xanthocephalus, 17. 



Jf. Eyes more or less rudimentary and concealed beneath the skin ; jaws 

 equal ; muzzle flat ; dorsal spine midway between snout and 

 middle of adipose fin ; barbels short ; caudal slightly emargi- 

 nate; anal with 18 rays ; color blackish above; jaws and fins 

 black ; sides varied with yellowish ; belly pale ; branchios- 



tegals 10 NiGRiLABKis, 18. 



ccc. Anal fin few-rayed (rays 15 to 17) : 



i. Upper jaw distinctly longest : 

 j. Body short and stout ; depth about 4 in length ; head fiattened, 

 nearly as broad as long ; dorsal nearer adipose fin than snout ; 

 I mouth large ; spines moderately serrate ; colors very dark, al- 

 most black PULLU8,19. 



jj. Body slender, elongate, the depth about 5.| in length ; head 

 roundish, rather long, about 4 in length, the width 4| ; mouth 

 small ; the upper jaw more projecting than in any other of the 

 species known ; profile convex, not steep ; .dorsal fin very high, 

 f length of head, well forward, its spine nearer snout than 

 adipose fin ; anal fin short and high, its base 5 in length of 

 body; pectoral spine serrated; color pale olive-brown; a black- 

 ish horizontal bar at base of dorsal Bkunneus, 20. 



}|. Body excessively slender, elongate, as in Pelodichthys, the depth being 6 to 

 8 times in length of body ; head broad and flat, nearly as 

 wide as long ; anal fin with 20 rays ; the base of the fin 4^ 

 to 5 in body ; jaws equal ; branchiostegals 11 ; mouth very 

 wide ; dorsal spine nearer snout than adipose fin ; coloration 

 ordinary, a blackish horizontal bar at base of dorsal, 



Platycephalus. 21 



