NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 01 



remote from each other and the edge of the disk. Mouth rather small, infe- 

 rior, with the lower jaw nearly semi-circular. 



Teeth fine, on the jaws and palate. 

 Dorsal fin nearly behind the disk, much higher than long, with about four 

 rays. Anal behind the second dorsal, and also provided with about four rays. 

 Caudal rather long and subtruncated. Pectoral fins on peduncles, which are 

 attached to the body by the membrane. 



This most interesting new generic type was discovered last year by Prof. 

 Poey at the Island of Cuba. That gentleman has kindly sent the only speci- 

 men obtained to the Smithsonian Institution. He has recognized its generic 

 distinction from Ilalieutxa, distinguishing it by the absence of a barbel in the 

 frontal cavity and the dentition. It is still further distinguished from the 

 Asiatic genus by the much smaller mouth, and also by the attachment of the 

 carpal bones to the body. 



Halieutichthys reticulatus Poey. 



The disk is longer than wide, and somewhat oval, being narrower before 

 than behind. The ridges alone are covered with simple spines ; five spines 

 form a pentagon before the interorbital area; one over each orbit, and four are 

 on a ridge proceeding backwards from the posterior angle of each orbit, which 

 converges in a curve towards the opposite one ; the last form the anterior 

 angles of a transverse pentagon on the nape. A transverse ridge behind the eyes, 

 which intersects the longitudinal ones, and has at the angles the second spines 

 from the eyes, provided near each lateral end with another spine, and a swell- 

 ing at the end itself. Five bicuspid spines arm each lateral margin of the 

 disk, and between them are smaller simple ones. 



D. 4. A. 4. . 



The color is gray, reticulated with blackish. The caudal is crossed by three 

 blackish bands. 



The principal proportions are exhibited in the following table-: 



Extreme length (l- 8 -) 100. 



Disk Greatest length 51 ; greatest width 45. 



Dorsal (spinous) Distance from snout 56. 



Anal Distance from snout 60. 



Caudal Length 14. 



Pectoral Distance from snout at upper axilla 47 ; length 14. 



Family ANTENNARIOIDyE Gill. 

 Genus ANTENNARIUS Comm. 

 Antennarius sanguineus Gill. 



The anterior dorsal spine is very slender and enters 'l\ times in the length 

 of the caudal fin ; it terminates in a flap extended on each side laciniated 

 outwards. The second spine is rough, robust and curved strongly backwards 

 at its end ; the third is not free, but apparent as a hump pointed backwards, 

 and extending two-thirds of the distance from its insertion to that of the 

 dorsal fin. Skin covered with small bifid spines, whose prongs diverge con- 

 siderably and are acute. 



The color is blood-red, except on the abdomen, both with several more or 

 less distinct black spots under the origin of the dorsal fin and on the sides. 

 The abdomen is light or yellowish-brown, spotted with black. The intervals 

 between the caudal and anal rays are also marked with black. The floor of 

 the mouth behind the tongue has two lateral black bands converging towards 

 the front, while the posterior margin of the tongue itself is also sometimes 

 lined with black. 



Two- specimens were obtained at Cape St. Lucas by Mr. Xantus. 

 Antennarius annulatus Gill. 



The first dorsal spine is very slender, straight and nearly equals the length 

 1863.] 



