28 THE DISCOBOLI. 



length of its frontal suture is nearly the same as the distance from the 

 mastoid to tlie articulation with the operculum. In shape the metaptery- 

 goid (27) approaches a semicircle; a part of the hinder margin is incom- 

 plete, however, where connected with the hyomandibular by membranes. 

 The quadrate (26) is of moderate size, and the symplectic (31) is elongate 

 wedge-shaped, and firmly fixed at its lower end just inside of the notch 

 in the quadrate. Posteriorly the pterygoid (24) and the entopterj'goid (25) 

 make a wide and firm junction with quadrate and metapterygoid ; ante- 

 riorly, they make a similar union with the broad, stout palatine. Both 

 dentary (34) and articular (35) are strong; the first has a slight promi- 

 nence on the lower side at the symphysis, and the second projects down- 

 ward somewhat behind the first. The angular (36) is small, has striate 

 sides, and bears some resemblance to an inverted decanter. 



The operculum (28) is triangular, stout at the articulation, from which 

 ridges pass toward the outer angles, concave on the outer surface, and 

 thin at the outer margin, where it overlies the suboperculum. Tlie 

 latter (32) is thin and elongate ; one branch extends up to the middle 

 of the anterior edge of the operculum, the other is very slender, lies 

 below the outer opercular border, and extends a trifle behind it; ante- 

 riorly this bone is wider, and the forward margin is concave. The 

 interoperculum (33) is thin, rather wide, and moderately long; it is 

 wider at the junction with the suboperculum, and is more firmly attached 

 to the epihyal than to the articular. 



Though basihyal (39), ceratohyal (38), and epihyal (37) are stout and 

 bulky, the stylohyal (29) is but slender. The apparent weakness of the 

 latter finds some compensation in the attachment with the interopercular. 

 Below the basihyals the urohyal (42) extends outward as a low knob ; 

 behind this the lower border is indented. Two groups are formed of 

 the six branchiostegals (43) on each side; the two in the anterior are 

 slender, and the four in the other are stouter and longer. 



One of the characters heretofore assigned the family is " tongue fleshy, 

 and free all around." The accuracy of this might be called in question, 

 since the tongue so called is not fleshy, is not free all around, and is 

 not strictly speaking a tongue. In this fish the tongue has become 

 obsolete, and with it the glossohj'al has disappeared. The remaining 

 hyoids and the bones of the entire median branchial section are crowded 

 and bunched together in a mass on the floor of the mouth that answers 



