170 HOMOPRION XANTHUUUS. 



the air-bladder, and extends nearly as far back as the left lobe. The stomach is rather large, sub- 

 conical, and pointed behind ; its pyloric branch arises near the anterior extremity, and has a well- 

 marked valve. The small intestine proceeds half the length of the abdomen, whence it is reflect- 

 ed forwards for a short distance, and then returns to end in the rectum ; which is less capacious, 

 but has thicker walls. The ovaries are large, oblong, and unite together far forward. 



Habits. We know nothing of the habits of this fish, except that it is always 

 found in very deep water. 



Geographical Distribution. The Homoprion lanceolatum has been hitherto 

 observed only at the entrance of Port Royal Sound. 



HOMOPRION XANTHURUS. — Ladpede. 



Plate XXIV. Fig. 2. 



Specific Characters. Body above palest golden-brown ; below silvery-white, 

 without spots or bars ; tail yellow. D. 11 - 1 - 32. P. 21. V. 1 - 5. A. 2 - 13. 

 C. 17. 



Synonymes. Leiostomus xanthurus, Lacep., Hist. Nat. Poiss., torn. iv. p. 439, pi. 10, fig. 1. 

 Leiostomus xanthurus, Cuv. el Vol., Hist. Nat. Poiss., torn. v. p. 142. 

 Leiostomus xanthurus, DeKay, Zocil. N. Y., part iv. p. 70. 

 Leiostomus xanthurus, Slorer, Synops., p. 69. 

 Yellow-tail, Vulgo. 



Description. The body is ovoid, elongated, and compressed, but much less 

 arched at the back than in Leiostomus obliquus ; it is straighter near the belly, and 

 a transverse section is regularly oval. The head is of moderate size, and is covered 

 with scales to the lips, which are exceedingly thin ; the snout is rounded and full. 

 The eye is large, longest horizontally, and placed near the facial outline, and 

 about its diameter from the tip of the snout, and two diameters from the posterior 

 border of the opercle ; the pupil is dark, and the iris golden, with dusky blotches ; 



