732 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



free, or variously attached to the isthmus. Ventral fins thoracic, usu- 

 ally wide apart, separated by a flat area, I, 4 or I, 5. Spinous dorsal 

 present, short; soft dorsal similar to the anal, which is without spines; 

 caudal narrow, few-rayed. Pectorals large, with broad base, some- 

 times divided into two portions, sometimes with the TWO or three' lower- 

 most rays detached. Air-bladder present; pyloric coaca usually pres- 

 ent, few in number. Singular looking fishes, allied to the Cottida; 

 found in all seas. Genera 5; species about 40. 



(Triglida; pt. Giinther, ii, 191-210, 21G-224.) 



o. Pectoral fins, with two or three detached appendages belo\v; ventrals I, 5, wide 



apart. 

 b. Body mailed; teeth none; pectoral appendages 2. (Perivtediinw.) 



PKHISTKDir.M, 388. 



bb. Body scaly; teeth present ; pectoral appendages 3. (Trigliiue.) 



c. Palatines toothless TRIGLA, 389. 



cc. Palatines with teeth PnioNorrs, 3UO. 



aa. Pectoral tin divided to the base, into two unequal parts; ventrals I, 4, contigu- 

 ous; gill-uiembraues broadly attached to the isthmus. (DoGtylopterinat.') 



CEPIIALACANTIIUS, 391. 



388. PERISTEDIUM Lacdpi-d.-. 



(PerMedion Lac<?pedp, Hist. Nat. Poiss. iii, 3U8, 1802: type Pcrintcdion muhinnat Lac. = 

 Triqla cataphracta Gmelin.) 



Body elongate, fusiform, covered with bony plates, each of which is 

 armed with a strong spine; head bony; each preorbital produced into 

 a long flat process, which projects more or less beyond the mouth; 

 mouth small; teeth none; lower jaw included, provided with barbels; 

 gill-membranes separate, narrowly joined to the isthmus anteriorly; 

 gill-rakers slender. Dorsal fin continuous or divided. Pectoral fin 

 short, with the two lowermost rays detached. Ventrals I, ."">, separated 

 by a broad flat area. Air-bladder simple. Pyloric cceca about 10. 

 Warm seas. Color generally red. ("/'!, around; arsOuf^ diminutive of 

 a-^tio-^ breast; the breast being mailed.) 



1121. P. mi ilia tu in Goode. 



15 right crimson. Armature of body essentially as in 7*. liri'riroxtrc;* 

 spines of abdominal plates very weak posteriorly; length of preorbital 

 process :\.\ in disiance from its extremity to front of orbit: interorbital 

 space deeply conc:i\e; protuberance on the forehead very slight; a 

 pair of spines on upper surface of snout behind base of preorbital 

 processes; a large] 1 pail 1 on preorbital processes; ridge, of preopercle 

 ending in a depressed, short, sharp-pointed spine; about ten small 



liiinih.-r, Cat. FUli. Brit. Mus. ii, 218, 18UO. 



