FISHES. 239 



fins, is contained between five and six times in the total length ; and the least depth, taken on 

 the peduncle of the tail, near the base of the caudal fin, is about the third of the greatest depth. 

 The greatest thickness is considerably more than half the greatest depth. From the origin of 

 the ventral the body tapers slightly anteriorly, and quite rapidly posteriorly from the anterior 

 margin of both the anal and second dorsal fins. 



The head above is depressed, subconvex, and rather small. In length it constitutes about 

 the two-elevenths of the whole. It is a little deeper than broad at its base. The mouth is well 

 developed, the lower jaw being a little shorter than the upper, which is protractile. Several rows 

 of very small and subconical teeth may be observed on the maxillaries and on the dentaries. 

 The palate is perfectly smooth, or without teeth. The pharyngobranchials, upper and lower, 

 are densely covered with card-like teeth. The tongue is smooth and narrow, and of but me- 

 dium development. The posterior extremity of the upper maxillary does not quite extend to a 

 vertical line which would pass through the anterior rim of the orbit. The nostrils are very 

 small, the anterior one being the smallest, and both of them are nearer to the anterior rim of 

 the orbit than to the lip of the upper jaw when the latter is in its retracted position. The eye, 

 though well developed, is small when compared to other species, circular in shape, and its 

 diameter contained nearly five times in the length of the side of the head. Its upper margin 

 approximates the line of the profile. The opercular apparatus is rounded, and convex upon its 

 margin. Conspicuous scales cover its upper margin as well as the cheeks. On the remaining 

 portion of the opercle, and the sub and interopercles, scales are apparently wanting, owing to 

 the transparency of the argentine membrane which passes over them. The branchial apertures 

 are broadly open and continuous under the hyoidal apparatus. The branchiostegals, six in 

 number, are mostly concealed under the subopercle ; the innermost are flattened ; the two outer- 

 most, small and filiform. 



The first dorsal is quite small, and composed of slender rays. The posterior margin of that 

 fin is nearly equidistant between the upper lobe of caudal fin and the extremity of the snout. 

 The second dorsal is of moderate development, with one anterior rudimentary ray, undivided, 

 like the second. The central rays bifurcate twice, with a slight indication of a subdivision of 

 the third degree upon the fourth, fifth, and sixth rays. That fin is a little higher anteriorly 

 than long, with its upper edge concave, and its posterior margin about half the height of the 

 anterior. It is situated immediately opposite the posterior portion of the anal. The base of 

 the anal is much longer than that of the second dorsal, and longer also than the depth of its 

 anterior margin. Its external edge is likewise concave, and its posterior margin about two-fifths 

 the height of the anterior. The first ray is rudimentary; the second is simple; the central 

 ones bifurcate only twice. The caudal is deeply forked with sub-acute lobes. It constitutes the 

 sixth of the entire length. Its central rays bifurcate three times, with partial indications of a 

 subdivision of the fourth degree. The ventrals are altogether situated in advance of the first 

 dorsal; these fins are short and broad exteriorly, when expanded. The anterior ray is the 

 smallest, and remains undivided; the others subdivide three times. The pectorals are of mod- 

 erate development and acute posteriorly ; their ray subdividing but twice, the uppermost re- 

 maining simple. They are obliquely inserted below the middle line of the body. 



Br. VI; D VI. 11; A 16 + 1; 3. I. 8. 7. I. 2; V6; P 15. 



The scales are rather small, and subquadr angular in general form ; sometimes a little longer 

 than high, at others a little higher than long. They are posteriorly rounded, and subtruncated 

 anteriorly. They constitute more than twenty longitudinal rows upon the line of the greatest 

 depth of the body, and about fifteen rows on the peduncle of the tail. Small and irregular 

 scales may be observed upon the base of the caudal fin. The scales on the cheeks are equal in 

 development to those on the nape. On the opercular pieces they are little larger than on the 

 cheeks. The ground-color is yellowish brown, minutely dotted with blackish. The dorsal 

 region between the silvery bands has a darker hue than the inferior part of the flank, owing to 



