410 CONTRIBUTIONS TO XOKTII AMKKICAN ICHTHYOLOGY - IV. 



pupil. Lower jaw slightly sliortcr than upper. Teeth close-Set, incisor- 

 like, Y ->haped, the forks divergent ; those in lower jaw largest and most 

 movable. F.\ e lar-c. not longer than snout. Spiuoiis dorsal moderate, 

 inserted over the vent, its origin midway between posterior anjjle of op- 

 erele and base of caudal. Pectoral about as loni;- as the head, reaching 

 ventrals, the ventrals not to vent. I'>ody stouter t han in related species. 



Scales firm, crenate. Peritoneum dark. Head 5; depth 4.',. I). VI-I, ll; 

 A. I. --: Lat. 1. ."it. L. a foot. Pacific coast of Tinted States, with 

 Atl<criin>i>NiH ctilt/oniirtiNi*, and e(|iially abundant. 

 (Alhfrinopsls affinia A.JI6S, I'nic. ('al. Arad. N'at. Sri. ts.io, ?;;.) 



*. 



FAMILY LXVII SPIIY1LKX1D.E. 



(The 



Body elongate, subterete, covered with small cycloid scales. Head 

 very Ion--, pointed, pike-like, scaly above and on sides, ]\loulh hori- 

 xontal, lar.ue. .laws elongate, the lower considerably projecting: upper 

 jaw non-protractile, its border formed by the premaxillaries, behind 

 which are the broad maxillaries. Large, sharp teeth of unei|iial si/.e, 

 on both jaws and on palatines; none on the vomer: usually a very 

 strong tooth near the tip of the lower jaw. Opercnlar bones without 

 spines or serratnres. dill-openings wide, the -ill-membranes not united, 

 free from the isthmus; ^ill-rakers very short or obsolete. Uranchioste- 

 ^als 7; -ills 1. a slit behind the fourth. Psuedobranchia- well develo])ed. 

 Air bladder lar-c, bifurcaie anteriorly; many ]yloric co-ca. Lateral 

 line well de\clo]ed, straight. Pectoral tins shorl, jtlaced in or below 

 the line of the axis of the body; ventrals I. .">. abdominal, in adxance 

 of the middle of the body; first dorsal over \ entrals, of ~t rat her stout 

 spines; second dorsal remote from first dorsal, similar to anal and oppo- 

 site to it: caudal fin forked. Yerlebra- L'l. A single -cnus of about !."" 

 species; \oracioiis ]>ike like fishes, inhabiting nearly all temperate and 

 tropical >eas. 



i iiiui IIIT. ii, :;:; i :: it.) 



. SPIIVK.E.'VA I'-l.M-h. 



Barracudas. 



(Arlcili; Hindi, Irli'li.: 1\\>< I " n/ilii/rn mi ( inn I. i 



Characters Of the ^enus included above. (<. . tlieaiicient name, 



hammer fish," from <-./;", a dart.) 



J't -i toral- iiDl n-arliii)^ in-arly In iVmil nl 



