292 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
conical, projecting beyond the mouth, 3.1 to 4.15 in head; eye, 2.8 to 6.5; interorbital 3.1 to 4.4; 
mouth horizontal, inferior; chin with a single, short, thickish barbel at symphysis; maxillary 
reaching opposite middle of eye, 2.5 to 2.9 in head; teeth in bands in each jaw, the outer ones in 
upper jaw enlarged; preopercle serrate; gill rakers very short, only about six somewhat developed 
on lower limb of first arch; scales rather small, firm, strongly ctenoid, not reduced in size on the 
breast; dorsal fins contiguous, the first composed of slender, flexible spines, none of them produced, 
and not extending far beyond the anterior soft rays when deflexed, the longest one 4.95 to 5.95 in 
length in specimens 130 to 293 millimeters long; soft dorsal rather long and low; caudal fin with 
concave upper lobe and produced, pointed lower lobe, this lobe proportionately longer in the young 
than in the adult; anal fin rather short, with a single rather weak spine; ventral fins rather small, 
inserted behind base of pectorals; pectoral fins rather large, reaching to or beyond tips of ventrals, 
1.05 to 1.55 in head. 
Color of two specimens, 1134 and 12J4 inches long, silvery gray above; white below, with 
dusky markings; sides with seven to eight obscure dark bars, the one at nape and the one on caudal 
peduncle darkest and most persistent; spinous dorsal plain, membranes edged with black from first 
to sixth spine on one fish and from second to seventh spine on the other; soft dorsal plain, some of 
rays tipped with black; caudal dusky, with light brown on upper part; anal and ventrals white 
faintly marked with light brown; pectorals dusky or black. In some specimens the dark bars 
along back and sides are wanting and the belly may be plain white instead of with grayish or dusky 
markings. Young rather darker than the adults; the back and sides with dusky punctulations 
and sometimes with blackish blotches. The fin colors of 13 young, 80 to 135 millimeters (334; to 
534 inches) in length, were as follows: Spinous dorsal slightly dusky; soft dorsal nearly plain, 
sometimes slightly dusky, in one specimen tinged with yellow brown; caudal slightly dusky, tinged 
with yellowish brown; anal, ventrals, and pectorals slightly dusky, sometimes white, tinged with 
yellowish brown. Two specimens of M. saxatilis, 77 and 128 millimeters (3 and 5 inches) in length, 
