THE DISCOBOLI. 37 



the dorsals. Those on the flanks are in contact, and on an example four and 

 one half inches in length there are several that exceed half an inch in diam- 

 eter. The sides of the tubercles are roughened by multitudes of fine sharp 

 spines. Under chin and throat the tubercles are smaller, close together, and 

 very numerous. The origin of the first dorsal is above and a very little in 

 front of the gill opening. The latter is above the base of the pectoral, be- 

 hind the eye ; its width is hardly as great as that of the orbit. Professor 

 Collett gives a good figure of C. spinosus ; to compare the specimen from 

 which these notes are taken with it, the Pacific representative is higher and 

 more arched in front of and over the first dorsal, the depth of body is greater 

 in proportion to the length, and the spines above the lateral line, from the 

 space between the dorsals to the back of the skull, are a great deal smaller. 

 These differences are such as may obtain on individuals, it is true, but until 

 direct comparisons of series from the Pacific are made with others from the 

 Atlantic it is hardly worth the while to throw C. orbis in with C. spinosus. 

 The two species are very closely allied, but with our specimens it does not 

 seem best to bring them together as one. 

 St. George's Island, Bering Sea. 



CYCLOPTEROIDES. 



Body short, thick, slightly depressed anteriorly, compressed posteriorly. 

 Head broad, short; snout short, obtuse ; suborbital produced to connect with 

 the preoperculum, widening backward. The bases of both dorsals are thickly 

 enveloped in skin and flesh. Ventrals united, forming a large adhesive disk. 

 Chin with tubular pores, or barbels. Teeth small, subconical. Gill openings 

 narrow ; gill membranes united and attached to the isthmus. Gills three 

 and a half. Pseudobranchiae. Six branchiostegal rays. Intestine long. Like 

 Cyclopterus, to which it is closely allied, this genus appears to derive a 

 portion of its food from vegetation. 



Cyclopteroides gyrinops. 



Plate XI. Figs. 4-9. 



B. 6 ; D. 8 / 9 ; A. 9 ; P. 24 ; CIO; Caeca 10 or 11. 

 Body oblong, compressed toward the dorsals, broad toward the belly, 

 subtriangular in transverse section, abruptly compressed in the posterior por- 



