Antennarius, 313 



he arranges tliem with his family Gobioides. This new position 

 appears to be equally untenable with the former : it is open to 

 the same objections, though that derived from the developement of 

 the opercula may apply to it with somewhat lessened force. Yet 

 here also they are associated with fishes possessing a bony skeleton 

 and well defined opercula. 



It cannot fail to be remarked, that M. Cuvier stands alone in 

 both these views of the natural affinities of Lophitis. All previous 

 systematists, without, I believe, a single exception, have concurred 

 in placing this genus near Balisles^ L. Artedi, Linne, Klein, 

 Gouan, La Cepede, and Bumeril, disagreeing continually on 

 other points, accord perfectly on this. The consistence of the 

 skeleton, and the structure of the respiratory organs, are similar 

 in both ; they differ only in the teeth and in the ventral fins. 

 The latter, in all the species of Balistes yet known, except one, 

 are either abortive, or soldered together so as io form a kind of 

 keel. In one of the species of Jntennarius which I am about 

 to describe, the external appearance induces the belief that there 

 exists a corresponding union of the supports of the ventral fins, 

 though the fins themselves are distinct. An additional proof is 

 thus afforded of the affinity recognised of old. Another may be 

 pointed out in the striking manner in which the united processes 

 of the head in the Lophies h6riss6e and lisse of M. La Cepede 

 resemble the anterior dorsal fin of the various species of Balistes, 

 Cuv. This fact, like the former, has only recently been made 

 known to science, and cannot consequently have influenced the 

 opinions of any of the systematic writers above noticed ; but, like 

 the former, it furnishes a corroboration of the correctness with 

 which the affinity had been ascertained. Their views were not 

 founded on the consideration of these secondary particulars, but 

 by them they are strongly confirmed. 



Classis, Pisces. 



Ordo. BiiANCHiosTEGi, Artedi. 



Genus. Antennarius, Comm., M.SS. 



Lopiiius, (pars,) L. 



LoPHius, Dumeril. , 



Chironectes, Cuv. 



