1884.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 1*75 



How very different the other forms approximated to the group 

 are, may be appreciated from the following diagnoses. 



SUPERPAMILY OPHIDIOIDEA. 



Synonymy. 



> Brotuloidea, Gill, Cat. Fishes E. Coast N. Am., p. 7, 1873. (Named 



only.) 



> OpMdioidea, Gill, Cat. Fishes E. Coast N. Am., p. 7, 1873. (Named 



only.) 



Jugulares with the orbito-rostral portion of the cranium con- 

 tracted and shorter than the posterior, the cranial cavity closed 

 in part by the expansion and junction of the parasphenoid and 

 frontals, the supraoccipital horizontal and cariniform poste- 

 riorly, the exoccipitals expanded backwards and upwards behind 

 the supraoccipital, the exoccipital condyles contiguous, and with 

 the hypercoracoid (scapula, Parker) fenestrate (or foraminate) 

 about its centre, and the hypocoraeoid with its inferior process 

 divergent from the proscapula. 



These characters are exhibited in the Brotula barbata (specimen 

 in coll. T. G.), Brosmojyfiycis marginatus (MSS. note), Pteridium 

 ater (cranium behind, Emery, ^ f. 21), Ophidium barbatum 

 (cranium above, E., f. 26 ; scapular arch, E., f. 44), Fierasfer acus 

 (cranium, E., f. 18-22; scapular arch, E., f. 35-36), Echiodon 

 dentatus (cranium, E., f. 23-25 ; scapular arch, E., f 37-38), and 

 Encheliophis vei'micularis (scapular arch, E.,^ f. 39). The 

 osteology of the Congrogadidae and Brotulophididse is entirely 

 unknown and it is only assumed that they belong to this group 

 on account of general agreement in superficial characters. 



BROTULTD^. 



Synonyms as Family Names. 



= Brotulidm, Adams, Manual Nat. Hist., p. 104, 1854. 



< Brotuloidei, Bleeker, Enum. Sp. Piscium Archipel. Indico, p. xxv, 1859, 



= Brotuloidm, Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. [v. 15], p. 253, 1863. 



1 The references indicated by "E.," are to Prof. Emery's excellent memoir 

 on "Fierasfer" in the Atti della R. Accademia dei Lincei " 1879-80 (pp. 

 167-254, pi. la-9a,. How useful and indeed indispensable this memoir 

 has been may be judged from the references. 



