4'V2 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY - IV. 



and ventral outlines about equally curved. Suout very blunt, rounded 

 in proiilc. .Mouth small, the maxillary not reaching the orbit. Caudal 

 peduncle very short; anterior rays of dorsal and anal little elevated. 

 Lateral line high. a series of conspicuous pores above it near the ba>e 

 of the dorsal. Pectorals much longer than head. Gill-rakers rather 

 long, : diameter of the eye, which is 4 iu head. Head 4; depth I'. 1 ,. 

 1). 111. I.'); A. Ill, 38. L. 10 inches. Maine to Cape Hatteras; very 



abundant. 



(Perk, Mrm. Aincr. Acacl. ii, 48: Rhombus cryptomia Cuv. A Val. is, 408; Giiutlier, ii, 

 398.) 



233. LIRUS Lowe. 



Rudder-flukes. 

 (PaUnurm DeKay, preoccupied in Crustacea: Faliiinrichthi/sGill: Pammclas Giintlu-r. ) 



i l.i irua Lowe, Proc. Zoiil. Soc. Loud. 1839, 82: type Leirus bennetti Lowe = CcHtroloplut* 



oealisC. & V.) 



Jody ovate, compressed, more elongate and less compressed than in 

 Profile very blunt and convex. Mouth moderate ; maxil- 

 lary narrow, with a small supplemental bone; preiaaxillaries protrac- 

 tile, litile movable. Jaws nearly equal, each with about one series of 

 small, slender teeth; no teeth on vomer or palatines. Preoperculum. 

 interoperculum, and suboperculum finely serrated. Gill-rakers long: 

 gill membranes separate, free from the isthmus. Scales small, smooth ; 

 larger, thicker, and more adherent than in Stronnttritx. Cheeks scaly. 

 Pins rather low; dorsal' fin long, preceded by 0-8 short but rather 

 strong spines, the last ones connected by membrane, the others nearly 

 free; anal fin similar but shorter, preceded by 3 spines, which, like the 

 dorsal spines, are nearly imbedded in thick skin; vertical fins denseh 

 .-scaly towards their bases; caudal fin emarginate; caudal peduncle 

 stout; ventral lins large, thoracic, I, 5; pectoral fins moderate, rounded 

 or falcate. T\\o species, differing from the European genus Ctintrolophua 

 chielly in the development of the dorsal spines, which in the latter genus 

 are indistinguishable from the soft rays. (/::/'-, thiir.) 



713. I.. IM-M iloniiis (Mitel..) J. & G. /,'//</</. r-Jixli. 



P.lackish green, every when- dark, the belh scarcely ]aler and not 

 silvery. l\ve rather large, with an adipose eyelid, its diameter nearly 

 '(|iial to the MI. uit. U in head. Maxillary reaching to o])]>osite Iront 

 of pupil. Top of head naked, covered \\ith small mucous pores. Pec- 

 torals nearly as long a^ head. Head :;.\: de|>tli L'._L D. VII, I, 21; A. 



