90 
l^LEMOinS OF TEE QVEEN SLANT) MV SEEM. 
'which it elsewhere resembles iu contour; widtli of body 4-35 (adult) in its depth,, 
Avhieh is 1*15 to 1*6 in its length and 2-5 to 1*85 times the length of the head; 
abdominal region longer, 1-75 to 1*55 in tlie length of the anal; caudal peduncle 
much deeper than wide iu the young, a little wider than deep in the adult, its 
width 4-15 to 2-15 in the eye-diameter. Head rather large and deep, its length 
2-85 to 3 in that of the body, its width 3 to 2-6 in its depth, which is from one 
third to one eighth more than its length; cranio-nuehal keel cultriform in the 
young, becoming blunter with age. Snout short and rounded; eye large, its 
diameter 2-4 to 3*2 in the length of the head and from three eighths more to a little 
less than that of the snout; interorbital region elevated, its width 1-33 to 1-1 in 
the eye-diameter. Lower jaw modei*ately declivous; maxillary extending to or 
slightly beyond the vertical from the anterior border of the pupil, its length 
2-3 to 2*65 ill that of the head, the width of its distal exti'emity 1-55 to 1-75 in its 
distance fi^nu the eye and 3-33 to 2*9 in the eye-diameter. Preopercular border 
entire. 
Jaws with broad bands of villiform teeth, intermixed with which anteriorly 
are some rather larger teeth ; a triangular patch of villiform teeth on the head of 
the vomer; similar teeth in bands on the palatines and tongue.^ 
Lateral line strongly curved to below the 10th dorsal ray, the length of 
the curved section 1*1 to 1-25 in that of tlie straight, Avhich is armed posteriorly 
with from 10 to 15 feeble scutes. 
Dorsal fin with vi to 0, i 19 rays; procumbent spine small and concealed; 
spinous dorsal consisting of six low xinconnected spines in the yoiuig; with 
advancing age, tliese gradually disappear from the front until all have been 
absorbed in the muscular tissue. Soft dorsal originating midway l)etween the 
ti]i of th(' snout and the root of tlie caudal; anterior 6 rays exceedingly produced 
but not graded from the front, tlui last pair occasionally being the longest, 
extending at all ages far beyond the tip of the caudal; behind the filiform rays 
the others are ecpial length to the last, which is slightly produced. Caudal 
fin widely forked, the lobes equal, 3-1 to 4 in the body-length. Anal with ii to 0, 
i1() rays, originating below the 9th dorsal ray, similar to but shorter than the 
soft dorsal, with 4 or 5 filamentous rays, whicii are graded from the front, the 
Lst as long as or even longin* than the longest dorsal. Pectoral with 19 rays, its 
length 2-5 to 2*7 in that of the body ; 5th ray longest, extending to above the 13th 
anal ray. Ventral inserted iu advance of the |)ectoral, the 4 outer rays gradedly 
filiform in the yoimg, reaching to the last third of the anal or not quite so far, 
its length three eighths to one fourth more than that of the pectoral and a half 
of the body-length; these filaments rapidly decrease with age and in a 10-in. 
example the fin is normal, 2-15 in the length of the pectoral and 5-4 in that of 
the body, the 2nd ray longest, reaching midway to the 6th anal ray. 
®The teeth are as -well developed in a 10-in. as in a 4-in. specimen. 
