1884.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 101 



7. Pristis pristis (L.). 



There is no evideuce of the occurrence of this species (P. anti- 

 quorum Latham) in American waters. All Atlantic specimens 

 studied belong to P. 2?ec^wa^ws Latham ; those from Panama to 

 P. perroteti Val. 



8. Lepidosteus tristoechus (Bloch). 



Our Alligator Gar appears to be somewhat different from this 

 Cuban species. Its oldest name is Lepidosteus spatula Lac. 



9. Mursena afra Blocfa. 



The American species thus called by Giinther and by Jordan 

 and Gilbert does not appear to be identical with the African 

 species called Gymnothorax o,fer by Bloch, which is described as 

 " brnnneo alboque marmorato." Our species should apparently 

 stand as 3Iurse7ia funehris (Ranzani). Ilureena infernalis Poey 

 is the same species. 



10. Ophichthys punctifer Kaup. 



The specimens from Pensacola recorded as 0. punctifer or 

 mordax Poey, belong to the species called Ophichthys schneideri 

 by Steindachner. Possibl}^ all three are identical. 



11. Sphyraena sphyrena (L.). 



Our small Northern Barracuda has been identified with this 

 European species (Sphyraena spet Lac.) by Giinther and later b}^ 

 Jordan and Gilbert. It is, however, I think, specifically distinct 

 and should stand as Sphyrsena borealis De Kay, as has been 

 already indicated by Goode and Bean, and by Meek and New- 

 land. 



12. Trachynotus goreensis Cuv. and Val. 



The large pompano or " permit " of the Florida Keys and West 

 Indies has been identified by Goode and Bean, following Pr. 

 Giinther, with the African fish indicated as Trachynotus gorehisis^ 

 by Cuvier and Valenciennes. Thei-e is, however, little reason for 

 thinking this identification correct. On the other hand the young 

 of the American " Permit " have been described by Professor 

 Gill under the names Trachynotus rhodopus and Trachynotus 

 nasutus. It should therefore stand as Trachynotus rhodopus, 

 as lately noted by Meek and Goss. Trachynotus carolinus of 

 Poey's memoirs is T. rhodopus. T. kennedyi Steindachner is a 

 different species. 



