262 PROCEEDINGS OE THE ACADEMY OF 



Decapterus hypodus Gill. 



The greatest height is less than a fifth (-18) of the total length. The head forms 

 a quarter of the same. The diameter of the orbit equals a quarter of the head's 

 length, and the snout enters three times and a third in the same. The lateral 

 line has a very slight sigmoidal flexure and is covered with very conspicuous 

 discoid scales; the lateral line is trifid on each scale, giving out an oblique pro- 

 cess above and another below. The teeth on the lower jaw are small and 

 unisenal ; the tongue has a longitudinal narrow band. 



D. VII. I. 311. A. II. I. 261. 



Lateral line (70+) 30. 



The color above is greenish-blue ; the opercular spot small. 



Five specimens were obtained. It is, perhaps, most closely related to Dccap- 

 lerus macarellus, the Caranz macarellus of Cuvier and Valenciennes, which 

 differs at least in proportions as well a3 the number of rays and plates of the 

 lateral line. The dentition has not been described, and the species is autop- 

 tically unknown to me. 



Blepharichthys crinitus Gill. 

 I have not been yet able to satisfy myself as to the specific distinction be- 

 tween representatives of this genus from widely separated places, and there- 

 fore prefer for the present to refer two specimens obtained by Mr. Xantus at 

 Cape St. Lucas to the species above named. 



Subfamily TRACHYNOTINJE Gill. 

 Trachynotus pampanus Cuv. et Val. 

 As in the case of Blepharichthys, I cannot give any positive characters to 

 distinguish the Atlantic and Californian representatives of Trachynotus from 

 each other. With Giinther, I believe that Bothrolcemus pampanus of Holbrook 

 is the aged form of Doliodun carolitius, in which the teeth are lost. In the 

 specimen described by Dekay, said to have the " teeth so minute as scarcely 

 to be distinguished," I cannot distinguish even minute teeth. Trusting to the 

 American naturalists who had, I supposed, fully studied the species, I retained 

 in the Catalogue of the Fishes of the Eastern Coast the four species and three 

 genera admitted by them ; they are apparently, however, as stated by Giinther. 

 referrible to two species belonging to one genus. 



Note. Very young Carangoids have a trispinous preoperculum, and always a 



distinct spinous dorsal fin. Nanclerus and Seriola dussumieri are founded on 

 young specimens of Nancrates. 



Description of a New Genus (GQNIOBASIS) of the Family MELANIDJE and 



eighty-two new Species. 



BY ISAAC LEA 



Family MEL AN ID JE. 



Genus GONIOBASIS* 



Testa vel conica vel fusiformi. Apertura rhomboidea, inferne subangulata. 

 Columella superne interdum incrassata. Operculum corneum, ad spiram 



pertinens.f 



In my paper on the genus Trypanostoma, proposed by me, I mentioned the 



* r&>w, angle, and ffaa-tg, base. 



t This genus may be divided into two groups, one embracing the conical, the other. 

 the fusiform species, and these into smooth, plicate, carinate, &c. 



[May 



