473 



its tip to the nape almost straight and thence slightly arched 

 to the dorsal fin. Interorbital space almost flat ; a few obtuse 

 bony ridges on the posterior part of the cranium. Upper 

 jaw slightly longer than the lower ; maxillary reaching to 

 below the hinder nostril, its posterior margin obliquely trun- 

 cate and exposed. Eye rather small, much shorter than the 

 snout, which is a little longer than the interorbital width. 

 Nostrils separated by a space equal to their own diameter, 

 with free cutaneous margins. Preorbital bone denticulate 

 posteriorly. Preoperculum evenly denticulate, the denticles 

 largest on the rounded angle. Operculum with two spines, 

 the lower of which is the longer, and attains the margin of 

 the opercular lobe. Suprascapular and coracoid bones ex- 

 posed, and weakly denticulate. 



Each jaw with a band of minute teeth, the outer ones 

 slightly enlarged, subcardiform, and slightly depressible. 

 Vomer and palatines toothless. Scales largest on the anterior 

 portion of the sides, smallest on the breast. 



Fis. 1. 



Dorsal spines rather slender, the fifth longest, and the 

 following decreasing backward to the last. Second anal spine 

 much longer and stronger than the third, but shorter than 

 the anterior rays. Pectoral obtusely pointed above, the fifth 

 upper ray longest. Ventral inserted just before the vertical 

 of the first dorsal spine, and reaching about half its distance 

 from the vent. The caudal is much damaged, and the soft 

 portions of the dorsal and anal are so firmly adpressed that 

 their exact form cannot be satisfactorily determined. The 

 first dorsal spine also is lacking. 



Colour. — Apparently olive-green above and silvery below, 

 the base of each scale with a small dark spot which combines 

 with its fellows to form indefinite rows along the scale series. 

 Fins without definite markings. 



