no. 2075. FISHES FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA— GILBERT. 363 



face nearly flat, the cheeks vertical; snout broader than long, little 

 declivous, depressed, subacute; nostril tube single, short, immedi- 

 ately behind the upper lip; mouth moderately oblique, distance 

 between angles of mouth equal to length of gape; tip of maxillary 

 extending nearly to below middle of eye; jaws about equal, the lower 

 scarcely included within the upper; upper jaw not protractile, the 

 lower lip with a frenum; no barbels; teeth all short, conical, strong; 

 premaxillary teeth anteriorly in two well-separated series, those of the 

 anterior series larger, the posterior series alone continued laterally, 

 but not reaching much beyond middle of gape; mandibular teeth 

 somewhat larger, in a double series anteriorly, with a few irregularly 

 interposed teeth near symphysis, the posterior series continued farther 

 laterally than the anterior series; strong conical teeth in a single 

 series on palatines, these larger than the teeth in the jaws; a single 

 series on head of vomer, with a few scattered teeth behind it. Skull 

 firm, no large mucous channels or pits in any of the bones ; a series of 

 large pores around the eye, one along mandible and preopercle, and a 

 series curved forward from shoulders across occiput. Gill-openings 

 narrower than in Boihrocara, the distance between their lower ends 

 equaling the length of the snout, less than two-thirds the length of the 

 gill-slit, which begins above the base of the pectoral and extends well 

 below it. Gill-fringes ample, in 4 pairs, a wide slit behind the fourth 

 arch; gill-rakers reduced to little more than papillae, 13 in number 

 on outer arch. Pseu do branchiae obsolete. A single short, thick 

 pyloric caecum. 



Origin of dorsal fin over middle of pectoral, the fin lower ante- 

 riorly. Dorsal and anal rays slender, once forked near the base, the 

 posterior branch again forked at its middle, the anterior branch simple 

 throughout; caudal rays only once forked. Pectorals with broad 

 base, the posterior margin evenly rounded, the length slightly more 

 than half head, more than one-third the distance from its base to 

 origin of anal; pectoral rays twice or thrice forked. 



Scales small, rounded, nonimbricated and rather distant, covering 

 sides of body and basal portions of vertical fins; the pectoral fins and 

 the distal portions of vertical fins, the nape and the entire head 

 scaleless; scales on breast and belly much reduced, smaller and 

 partially absorbed. No trace of lateral line. Skin on head and body 

 not lax, the texture like that in Lycodes; fin membranes not thick- 

 ened, except at base. 



In spirits brownish yellow, darker along the back, a broad margin 

 of the vertical fins and the entire pectorals translucent. Buccal and 

 branchial cavities whitish, peritoneum slightly dusky. In life, the 

 entire fish is tinged with light rose-red. 



Type 140 mm. long, from station 4421, off San Nicolas Island, 

 depth 229 to 298 fathoms. Only the type known. 



