496 



THE PUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



lower jaw slightly projecting. Mouth oblique; the distance from the tip of the snout 

 to tip of maxillary is equal to the distance from the tip of snout to center of pupil; 

 the maxillary from its anterior articulation is contained 3J in the head, its width 3 in 

 its length, its upper anterior edge closing under maxillary; mandible, 2 J in head, its 

 articulation with the quadrate bone beneath the posterior edge of the eye; width of 

 supplemental bone a little more than one-half width of maxillary. Preorbital broad, 

 its greatest width equals three-eighths of its length or diameter of pupil; width of 

 supraorbital equals two-sevenths of its length. Gill rakers, 12 to 14 + 21 to 23, long and 

 slender, the longest two-thirds diameter of the eye. The tongue, vomer, and palatine 

 without teeth. Distance from tip of snout to nape equal one-half the distance from 

 the nape to the front of the dorsal, or two-thirds length of head. Adipose fin large; 

 ventral scale one-half length of fin; longest dorsal ray, IJ in head; longest anal ray, 2 

 in head; the pectorals reach more than half way to the ventrals; the ventrals reach 

 two-thirds distance to vent; the caudal is forked for a little more than one-half its 

 length. Color dusky above, silvery beneath; the dorsal, adipose fin, tips of caudal 

 rays, and upper side of anterior pectoral rays dusky; fins otherwise pale. The fish 

 appears to be nearest related to Argyrosomus artedi, but it differs considerably in 

 number of gill rakers. We obtained but three specimens of this fish — one in salt 

 water at Point Hope, the other two in brackish water at Grantley Harbor. The largest 

 one is lOJ inches in length. 



7. Stenodus mackenziei (Richardson). 



We obtained three specimens of this fish, one of which was brought to us by the 

 whaling vessel, the other two by native fisherman. All three are from the mouth of 

 the Mackenzie River, and, as far as we could learn, it has never been seen any place 

 else by either natives or white people. The largest specimen is 35 inches in length. 

 This may be the same as the Siberian species Stenodus leucichthys (Giildenstadt), but 

 it is impossible to decide as the descriptions of that species are inadequate. 



Head, 4^; depth, 5; D., 13; A., 15; scales, 12, 103, 10; gill rakers, 6+lC, the 

 longest equaling diameter of eye; branchiostegal rays, 10 ; eye, l-^g in snout, IJ in inter- 

 orbital space, 7i in head; snout, 4J in head; maxillary from its articulation, 3 in head; 

 from tip of snout to end of maxillary, 2f in head, its width contained 4J times in its 

 length, its end reaching vertical behind eye. Supplemental bone, 4^ in head ; its width 

 4 in its length, its anterior end notched; the point above the notch sharp, the lower 

 point rounded. 



Preorbital, 4§ in length of head; its greatest width, 2J in its length. Mouth large, 

 the lower jaw projecting considerably beyond the upper. Tips of upper and lower 

 jaws, the palatines, vomer, and tongue with bands of short bristle-like teeth. 



Distance from tip of snout to nape, 3J times into distance from tip of snout to 

 front of dorsal ; front of dorsal nearer the median caudal rays than tip of snout by 

 width of eye; origin of ventral a width of eye behind the front of the dorsal. Adipose 



