454 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY - IV. 



FAMILY LXXIX. 



(The Dolplrim.) 



Body elongate, compressed, covered with small cycloid scales. Cleft 

 of the mouth wide, oblique, the lower jaw projecting. Cardiforin teeth 

 in the jaws and on the voiner and palatine bones; a patch of villiform 

 teeth on the tongue; no teeth on the oesophagus. Opercular bones 

 entire. Skull with a crest, which is much more elevated in the adult 

 than in the young. A single, many-rayed dorsal fin, not greatly elevated, 

 extending from the nape nearly to the caudal flu; anal similar, but 

 shorter; both without distinct spines; pectoral fins very short and 

 small ; veutrals well developed, thoracic, I, 5, partly received into a 

 groove in the abdomen ; caudal fin widely forked. Lateral line present. 

 Gill-membranes free from the isthmus. Branchiostegals 7; no pseudo- 

 branchire. No air bladder. Pyloric appendages very numerous. Verte- 

 bra more than 10 + 14. A single genus, with six or eight species. Very 

 large fishes, inhabiting the high seas in warm regions, noted for their 

 brilliant and changeable colors. To this family belongs the Dolphin 

 or Dorade of the ancients, Coryiriuvna liippnrns L. 

 (Seombridw: genus Coryphaina Giiuther, ii, 404-408.) 



235. CORYPBS/ENA Limueus. 



Dolphins, 



(Lampugim C. & V. ; young or crestless forms.) 

 - (LiiiTiii-us, Syst. Nat.: type Coryphasna lii/ipitrus L.) 



Characters of the genus included above. The species are not well 

 known, having been unduly multiplied by authors, (zoinjtpaiva, the name 

 applied by Aristotle to Cori/plm-na hippurus, from zipus, helmet; yaixu, 

 tn show.) 



715. C. pimc filial a (Cuv. ;iu<l Yal.) f'.flir. Spot/a! Doljihht. 



Sea -recn, silvery l>elo\v, with scattered Itlaek spots on the sides and 

 liaek : a series of distant rounded spots along the base of the dorsal 

 fin; head with brown stripes. I'.ody elongate, compressed, tapering 

 gently backwards; profile \er\ <-onve\, sintut blunt. .Almitli lai-ge, 

 oblique; ma\illar\ reaching middle of orbit. Pectorals si tort, falcate; 

 , ventraU long and rather narrow. I\ve large, nearly as long as snout. 

 Head U, ; dcjtlh about."). " I). .")! ; A. -.">." Warmer parts of the 

 Atlantic, occasional on our coast. 



(lMni)>ui/nx )>nctulutiin Cuv. ami Val. i.v, '.W7: Gliutber, ii, 408: ? Coryphana cquiscti 

 L. Syst. Nat.) 



