464 



THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRHJILOF ISLANDS. 



M.jaoJcj the maxillary reaching beyond the eye, 2| in head. Lips very thick and 

 fleshy in adults, the iuuer margin of each with a dense band of fine papilhe. The 

 lower lip may also bear externally a few papilLe or short tilaments. A fleshy slip or 

 filament often present on upper posterior angle of maxilla. 



Nasal spines pungent, rather short. Pi'eopercle with two diverging spines at 

 angle and a third remote one below directed downward and forward. The upper 

 spine varies in length but extends usually about half way to tip of opercular spine. 

 Opercle with a strong rib and spine, numeral and subopercular spines strong. 



Iiiterorbital width 5.^ to 6 in head, gently concave, its floor usually with traces of 

 two ridges. A definite supraorbital tentacle borne on the anterior end on the occipi- 

 tal ridge, its basal tubercle never conspicuous. A slender occipital tonta(;le is often 

 present, especially in the young, but is not infrecjuently absent. The ridges on the 



occiput are strong, often irregular 

 or ])artly interrupted, their surface 

 roughened with lengthwise lines or 

 with clusters of gianules. Occiput 

 more deeply concave than in ;1/. 

 polyacanthocrphdhifi. Usually a. cluster 

 of short digitate ridges behind the 

 eye. Top and sides of liead with 

 small warty protubreances. A minute 

 pore behind the hist gill, to be detected 

 witii diniculty in the young. 



Dorsals with short interspace or 

 none, the membrane from last spine 

 usnally Joining base of lirst soft ray. 

 Spinous dorsal very higii in jidult 

 males, the fifth spine highest, iialf as 

 long as liead. The longest soft ray 

 2^ in head. The pectorals reach front 

 of anal. The ventrals not to vent. 

 In the young tiie vertical fins are much 

 lower. 



r.elow are fin formula' in 11 speci- 

 mens : 



Myoxucephatu.i ttelleri. —Vetropmt\Hki, Kaiiicliatka. 



Kaya 



SpeciineDs . 



Spinoua 

 dorsal. 



VIII IX 

 1 10 



Soft dorsal 



15 10 

 10 1 



Anal. 



11 12 i:! 



2 8 1 



Pectoral. 



IC 17 



2 a 



Skin smooth, without plates or spines in young 7 or 8 inches long; one adult 

 male of 14 inches with scattered, small, subcir(!ular spinous plates, all but a few of 

 which are below the lateral line. 



In the young, the maxillary and mandibular membranes are whitish, very con- 

 spicuously marked with irregular Jet-black spots and blotches. Branchiostegal and 

 gular membranes and the membrane behind the i)reoitercle crossed with narrow, 



