80 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF 



The teeth of the pharyngeal bones are well developed and card-like, more or 

 less conic, and largest on the median upper pharyngeal, and nearest the inter- 

 nal borders of the lower. 



The setae or setose laminae of the anterior ceratobranchials are short or mod- 

 erate, compressed, and more or less armed with slender acute teeth on their 

 inner margins. 



The subfamily of Sciaeninas as thus restricted will include the Otolith!, -whose 

 lower jaw projects beyond the upper, as well as the Sckence, Corvince and allied 

 fishes, whose lower jaw is shorter and more or less embraced within the upper. 

 The groups thus differing might possibly be considered as distinct families "and 

 characterized as follows : 



Otolithinje. 



* This group is distinguished by its more or less equally subelliptical sub-oval 

 or fusiform body, covered by very oblique rows of moderate or rather small 

 scales. The mouth is terminal, the lower jaw being produced or consider- 

 ably longer than the upper. Both jaws are armed with teeth. The margin 

 of the snout is entire. The limbs of the lower jaw have very minute and 

 scarcely visible pores. The dorsal fins are more or less united at their base ; 

 the second is long. The ventral fins are situated near the vertical of the bases 

 of the pectorals, rarely before. 



CORVININJ3. 



The body is covered with generally very oblique rows of moderate or large 

 scales. The mouth is more or less inferior, the lower jaw being received with- 

 in the upper. Both jaws are armed with teeth. The margin of the snout is 

 generally more or less quadrilobate between the suborbital bones ; the incisions 

 oblique, and those next the bones always deepest. The limbs of the lower jaw 

 have usually each two pores, and there is almost always one near the symphy- 

 sis. The dorsal fins are more or less united at their base ; the second long. 

 The ventral fins are inserted more or less behind the pectorals. 



But as the greater length of the lower jaw is the only constant character, the 

 propriety of doing so with our present knowledge of the subject is very doubt- 

 ful. We will therefore regard them as simple sections which may not be even 

 natural, the differences existing in the Cynoscions or American. Otolithi, and the 

 lypical Scicence beiDg perhaps of even less value than those wbich distinguish 

 the Scicence from fishes like the Umbrince, Micropogons, and others. 



The characters which distinguish the Sciaeninae from the Liostominae and 

 Haploidinotinae are trenchant and very distinct, but are almost entirely anatomi- 

 cal, there being positively no external characteristic or features between the 

 first and last which would serve for their restriction. Yet the distinction be- 

 tween all of the Sciasninae and of the Haploidinotinae is founded on a character 

 which has been regarded by many of the most profoundly learned ichthyolo- 

 gists as of even ordinal value. The differences which exist between the Sciae- 

 ninae and Liostominae are of almost equal value, and serve well to illustrate the 

 importance of more profound investigations of the characteristics of animals 

 than are usually instituted. 



51. 



Lower jaw projecting beyond the upper. 



Genus Otolithus Cuvier. 

 Otolilhus Cuvier, Regne Animal, ed. i. vol. i. 

 Type. Otolithus ruber Cuv. 



[April, 



