NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 83 



Anterior dorsal fin with ten spines ; second long. Anal with its second 

 spine robust. Caudal lanceolated. 



Lateral line much curved under anterior third of the second dorsal fin. 



The pharyngeal bones and arches present no well marked peculiarities to 

 distinguish them from those of the Scicence. 



This genus is proposed for a new species of the Caribbean Sea, which has 

 considerable resemblance and affinity to the so-called Scicena lucida of Rich- 

 ardson and Scicena pama of Cuvier and Valenciennes ; but yet, on account of 

 the robust second spine of the anal, if consistency should be observed, would 

 be referred to the genus Corvina, by those who adopt the genera of Sciamoids 

 of Cuvier. 



Genus Homopeion Holbrook. 

 Homoprion sp. Holbrook, Ichthyology of South Carolina, p. 168. 



Body oblong, compressed, and with a form similar to that of Bairdiella. 



Head also like that of Bairdiella. Mouth terminal and obliqiie. Supramaxil- 

 lary bones ending under or nearly under the pupil. 



Preoperculum with a lobed and distinct crest, and with its posterior-an- 

 gular margin armed with radiating spines. The pores are probably similar 

 in development to those of Bairdiella. 



Upper jaw armed " with a row of rather stout, conical, recurved teeth," 

 behind which "are numerous, small, card-like teeth;" lower jaw with " one 

 group of small, card-like teeth." 



Anterior dorsal fin provided with about eleven spines. Anal fin with its 

 second spines equalling in length two-thirds of the succeeding articulated ray. 

 Caudal fin cuneate or lanceolate. 



No specimens of the Homoprion lanceolatus, which is the type of the genus, 

 are at present contained in the museum of the Smithsonian Institution. The 

 preceding diagnosis has therefore been principally compiled from the descrip- 

 tion and figure given by Dr. Holbrook. 



As previously observed, the Homoprion subtruncatus of Gill does not appear 

 to be congeneric with the type, but to be more nearly allied to, if not, indeed, 

 a representative of the same genus as the Bairdiella argyroleuca. 



Type. Homoprion lanceolatus Holbrook. 



Genus Bairdiella Gill. 



Perca sp. Mitchill. 

 Corvina sp. Cuv. et Val. 



Bairdiella Gill, Catalogue of the Fishes of the Eastern coast of North America, 

 p. 33, February, 1861. 



Body oblong, compressed, with the dorsal outline rapidly descending in a 

 nearly straight line from the dorsal fin, and with the abdominal outline nearly 

 straight. 



Head compressed, conical, with the muzzle scarcely convex, and with the 

 lower jaw ascending. Mouth terminal and oblique. Supramaxillary bones 

 mostly exposed, and ceasing under or slightly behind the pupil of the eyes. 



Preoperculum with no distinct crest ; its posterior margin and rounded 

 angle denticulated, the teeth increasing in size towards the angle. Two late- 

 ral pores of eacli ramus of the jaw small ; the two symphyseal ones rudimen- 

 tary. 



Anterior row of stout and recurved conical teeth in each jaw, behind 

 which, in the upper, is a narrow band of villiform ones. 



Anterior dorsal fin sustained by nine or ten spines. Anal fin with the 

 second anal spine more than two-thirds as long as the longest branched ray. 

 Caudal fin subtruncated. 



Lower pharyngeal bones combined form a lanceolate, or very deeply ex- 



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