438 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



Cantor* and Bleekerf first noticed the changes the species of this genu* 

 undergo with age, while G-iinther, applying this knowledge to the re-arrange- 

 ment of the entire genus, has reduced the twenty-two species of that genus 

 adm tted by Cuvier and Valenciennes to ten, and even of that number, two 

 could not be distinguished by the descriptions published, and were considered 

 doubtful. Ten of the specific names of Cuvier and Valencienes have been 

 referred to one species {Trachynotus ovatus Gthr.), but it is possible that two 

 species may hereafter be recognized among them. 



The four species and three genera of Trachynotinse admitted among the 

 fishes of the Eastern coast of the United States, are reducible to two species 

 of a single genus, but as a genuine species must be added to the list, three 

 species are again to be distinguished which may be recognized by the follow- 

 ing characters. 



I. Body rhomboid, very elevated, about twice as long as high. 



D. VI. I. 18-21. A. II. I. 16-19 T. ovatus. 



II. Body oblong, 3 to 3^ times as long as high. 



a.. Sides with four blackish linear bands. D. VI. I. 19. A. 



II. I. 17 T. GLAUCUS. 



(i. Sides uniform, silvery. D. V-VI. I. 24-26. A. II. I. 



21-24 T. CAKOLINU3. 



Trachynotus ovatus Gunther. 



Gasterosteus ovatus Linn. 

 Centronotus ovalis Lac. 

 Chaetodon rhomboides Block. 

 Acanthinion rhomboides Lac. 

 The Spinous Dory Mitchill. 

 Zeus spinosus Mitchill. 

 Trachinotus rhomboides Cuv. et Val. 

 " fuscus Cuv. et Val. 

 " teraia Cuv. et Val. 

 " spinosus Cuv. et Val. 

 Lichia spinosa Baird. 

 Doliodon spinosus Girard. 



This species is less common along the eastern coast than the Trachynotus 

 carolinus. 



The synonymy above given includes only the names bestowed on the Amer- 

 ican specimens,}: as it is not yet quite evident that the American and Asiatic. 

 forms belong to the same species. 



Trachynotus glaucus Cuv. et Val. 

 Chaetodon glaucus Block. 

 Acanthinion glaucum Lac. 

 Trachinotus glaucus Cuv. et Val. 



The species has been recently introduced into the Fauna of the United 

 States by Dr. Holbrook, by whom it was discovered at Charleston, South Caro- 

 lina. The latter is the only State in the Union along whose coast its occur- 

 rence has yet been commemorated by a naturalist. 



Trachynotus carolinus Gill. 

 Gasterosteus carolinus Linn. 

 Centronotus carolinus Lac. 

 Trachinotus pampanus Cuv. et Val. 



* Cantor, Catalogue of Malayan Fishes, p. 121, 1850. 



t Bleeker, Verhandelingen van liet Bataviaasch Genootschap deel xxiv. Bydrage tot de 

 Kennis der Makreelachtige Visschen, p. 48, 1852. 

 {The habitat of the Gasterosteus ovatus has not been mentioned by Linna:us. 



[Sept. 



