Putnam.] 372 ' [April 1, 



the head is less than one-half of its length, and its length is equal 

 (in small specimens) to the distance irom the base of the ventrals to 

 the vent. 1 The length of the head is contained from thirteen and 

 one-half to nearly sixteen times in the total length. 2 Pectorals with 

 ten rays, slightly pointed, and a little longer than one-half the length 

 of the head. Ventrals slightly less than one-half as long as the head. 

 Dorsal rays of nearly equal length throughout, and not quite equal 

 to one-half the length of the head, situated at moderate distances 

 apart, the last ray connected by a membrane to the caudal. Anal 

 rays of about the same length and distance apart as the dorsal, the 

 last ray united by its membrane to the caudal slightly beyond the 

 line of union of dorsal and caudal. Caudal with ten rays, the cen- 

 tral being longer than the others, forming a short pointed fin. 3 Color 

 in spirits light brown; lighter on the abdomen where the silvery 

 peritonaeum shows through the walls; numerous dark dots on the 

 body along the base of the dorsal and anal fins, and on the head; 

 dorsal, anal and caudal fins dark, so that when the rays are not ex- 

 tended they form a black border from the head between the eyes, 

 round the caudal forward to the vent. 



Indian Ocean and China Sea. 



Agassiz Collection. No. 2463. China Sea, Capt. David Ranlett, 

 1859. (One specimen. 6.4 inches.) 



Agassiz Collection. No. 2474. Habitat? Andrew Garrett (No. 

 31.) (One specimen. 6.6 inches.) 



In order to include all the references to this family, as at present 

 understood, I abstract the principal characters by which Plagiotremus 

 is distinguished from Xiphasia from Prof. Gill's description of the 

 genus and species he has referred to the family. As has been pre- 

 viously stated, the genus Petroscirtes (Bennechis C. and V.) among 

 the Blenniidse has affinities with the Nemophidse, and may prove to 

 be another genus of the family, but I have not specimens at hand for 

 examination. 



i In the figure given by Bleeker the abdomen is one-quarter longer than the head. 



2 In a specimen 6.4 long the head is contained thirteen and one-half times in 

 total length; in another, 6.6 long, nearly sixteen times; Bleeker gives the head as 

 contained sixteen and one-half times in a specimen about 18 inches long, and 

 Playfair gives seventeen times in a specimen 11.5 long. Giinther also states that 

 the nine specimens examined by him differed in the length of the snout. 



a Bleeker gives the following ray formula, D. 121 + C. 12 + A. 110, = D. C. A. 243; 

 P. 14; V.2. 



