134 BULLETIN 01<’ THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
opposite which it becomes concave; snout protruding; mouth oblique, maxillary extending opposite 
nostrils, not reaching front of eye; lower jaw entering profile; a single row of numerous weak teeth in 
each jaw ; preorbital very broad ; spinous dorsal weak, first four spines comparatively long, second about 
half diameter of eye, very slender, weak, and flexible, next four much shorter, stiff, pungent, and par- 
tially embedded; soft dorsal long and low, anterior rays somewhat elevated, not falcate; anal similar 
to soft dorsal, its rays somewhat more widely set, first one or two a little elevated; pectoral falcate, as 
long as head, reaching past middle of anal; ventrals minute, caudal peduncle short and very slender, 
the fin widely forked, its lobes equal; head and upper parts of body naked, minute persistent scales 
below; lateral line with minute rudimentary scutes on its straight portion, anterior part strongly 
arched, its chord a little shorter than straight part. 
Tig. 34 . — Selene vomer. Young. 
Color in life: Rich silvery with an iridescence of steel-blue above and of pink below, with a light 
golden wash on lower parts. 
This species seems to be the common Vomer of Porto Rico and distinct from U. setipinnis, which 
does not appear in our collection. It may be separated from the latter form by the much deeper body, 
larger eye, greater elevation of occipital region, and more nearly vertical anterior profile. The young 
of the two species resemble each other more closely. At a length of about 4 inches the difference 
between them in relation of depth to length becomes apparent, but before that size is attained U. gabon- 
