334 NEW YORK STATE MUSEIUM 



black; the ventrals black except on two outer rays, on inner ray, 

 and a small spot on next two inner rays, about one fourth dis- 

 tance from ventral origin; axil of yentrals pale. Gtinther 

 describes the rentral as having the posterior part black. Three 

 black spots on dorsal fin and three blackish cross bands on the 

 lower caudal lobe, a black spot on tips of third, fourth, fifth, 

 and sixth rays of the anal, or the lower part of the fin some- 

 times black. 



The species grows to the length of 6 inches. Young indi- 

 viduals have barbels at the symphysis of the lower jaw, which 

 vary in length and disappear with age. The fish is found 

 abundantly in warm seas, ranging north to Cape Cod and to the 

 Mediterranean. Specimens have been taken at Newport R. I. 



Dr Mitchill described the species from an example 3 inches 

 long. His specimen had two barbels, each half an inch long. 

 The eyes, according to his description and figure, are very much 

 larger than in Exocoetus heterurus. 



167 Exocoetus gibbifrons Cuv. & Val. 



Exocoetus gibbifrons Guvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. XIX, 118, 

 1846, Atlantic; Jordan & Meek, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 65, 1885; 

 Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 528, 1886; Jordan & Evermann, Bull. 

 47, U. S. Nat. Mus. 741, 1896. 



Body robust, Utile compressed, its greatest depth one sixth 

 of the total length without caudal; head rather short, inter- 

 orbital area slightly concave, about one fourth wider than eye; 

 profile of snout convex, descending more abruptly than in any 

 other American species, making a decided curve downward; 

 snout rather blunt, one fourth as long as the head; length of 

 head contained four and three fifth times in total without caudal; 

 maxillary two ninths as long as head; pectoral fins rather broad 

 and long, two thirds of total without caudal, their tips reaching 

 to tips of last rays of dorsal, first ray of pectoral simple, 

 its length five elevenths of length of fin, second pectoral 

 ray simple, about one half longer than first ray, third pectoral 

 ray divided, fourth ray longest; ventral origin midway between 

 hind margin of eye and root of caudal, length of ventrals about 

 one third of total without caudal, the fin reaching to last anal 



