NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 17 



Five species of Scisenoids are now known as inhabitants of the western coast 



of the United States ; they represent apparently three groups or subfamilies. 



The Sci^ninje or Corvininje are restricted to those species of the family 



having the normal or nearly the normal number (j^) of vertebrae, that of the 



caudal being sometimes increased. The snout is more or less protuberant' 

 and the lower jaws generally received within the upper. The lower pha- 

 ryngeal bones are separated ; the upper triple on each side. 

 Three of the Californian species belong to this group. 



1. Rhinoscion saturnus Gill. 



Amblodon saturnas Girard. 



2. Umbrina undulatds Girard. 



Menticirrhus undulatus Gill. 



3. Genyonemus lineatts Gill. 



Leiostomus lineatus Ayres. 



The second species was formerly referred to Menticirrhus, but as I am now 

 acquainted with a true Umbrina from Lower California, I prefer to retain 

 Girard's species in the latter genus. The description of Girard, although very 

 unsatisfactory, rather tends to confirm the propriety of such restoration. 



The following synopsis of the Umbrina: of Cuvier shoics the principal distinc- 

 tions of the several genera. 



I. Dorsal spines ten. 



Head oblong and declivous above ; caudal equal Umbrina. 



Head rather elongated ; caudal unequally lobed ; the upper 

 pointed, the lower convex Menticirrhus. 



II. Dorsal spines thirteen. 



Head rather short and blunt Cirrimens.* 



The second subfamily or group is that of the Otolithinje, which, I have 

 discovered since the publication of the notice of the North American Sciseuoids, 

 is distinguished by the reversed proportions of the numbers of the vertebra?.} 

 The body is fusiform, and the lower jaw is prominent or at least even with the 

 upper. 



To this belongs the following species : 



4. Atractoscion nobilis Gill. 



Johnius nobilis Ayres. 



The following synopsis exhibits the characters of Atractoscion compared with 

 the other genera of Otolithina?. 



A. Height less than one-fourth of length. (Vertebra? 



14 



about j^.) OtolituinjE. 



B. Teeth regularly attenuated and pointed. 



Eyes very large, the diameter longer than the snout. 



*The type of this genus is the Umbrina ophiocephalus of Jenyns. 

 tBy this character the Otolithina; are distinguished from ihe Larimin^e, which has 

 nearly the normal number and proportion of the vertebra? ( ). Possibly Odonto- 



scion, as Gunther supposes, may be most nearly allied to this group, but it appears more 

 nearly connected to the Otolithina?. The Larimina? have, then, two genera very distinct 

 from each other, and recognizable by the following characters: 

 Second dorsal much longer than the first. ( I. 2430.) L. brevicepsCuv. Larimus. 

 Second dorsal as short or shorter than first. (= I. 13.) L. auritus Cuv. Brachydeuterus. 



1862.] 2 



