464 



THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



M.jaoJc, the maxillary reaching beyood the eye, 2| in head. Lips very thick and 

 fleshy in adults, the inner margin of each with a dense band of fine papillae. The 

 lower lip may also bear externally a few papillae or short filaments. A fleshy slip or 

 filament often present on upper posterior angle of maxilla. 



Kasal spines pungent, rather short. Preopercle 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 abont half way to tip of opercular spine. 

 Opercle with a strong rib and spine. Humeral and subopercular spines strong. 



Interorbital width .5J 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 tentacle is often 

 present, especially in the j'oung, but is not infrequently absent. The ridges on the 



occiput are strong, often irregular 

 or partly interrupted, their surface 

 roughened with lengthwise lines or 

 with clusters of granules. Occiput 

 more deeply concave than in M. 

 polyacantliocephalus. Usually a cluster 

 of short digitate ridges behind the 

 eye. Top and sides of head with 

 small warty protubreances. A minute 

 pore behind the la st gill, to be detected 

 with difliculty in the young. 



Dorsals with short interspace or 

 none, the membrane from last spine 

 usually joining base of first soft ray. 

 Spinous dorsal very high in adult 

 males, the fifth spine highest, half as 

 long as head. The longest soft ray 

 21 in head. Tb e pectorals reach front 

 of anal. The ventrals not to vent. 

 In the young the vertical fins are much 

 lower. 



Below are fin-formula- in 11 speci- 

 mens: 



Myoxocephalus atelleri — Petropaulski, Kamchatka. 



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

 male of 14 inches with scattered, small, subcircular 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 preopercle crossed with narrow, 



