PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 41 



transverse baud suhiuterriipted at the middle. Four barbels, tbe max- 

 illary barbel reaching to the middle of the pectoral spine. Dorsal 

 spine grooved, granulated on its anterior edge; pectorals much pro- 

 longed, the filament reaching to the end of the anal. Body and fins 

 of uniform color." 



In a ])aper in the Proc. Ac. I^at. Sci. Phila., 1883, 291, I have stated 

 my opinion that the original type of Batrachus porosissimus Cuv. «& 

 Val., xii, 501, would prove to be identical with Porichthys plectrodon, 

 as all Atlantic specimens of Porichthys thus ftir seen by us belong to 

 the latter species. That this view is correct is shown by the following 

 paragraph from the letter of Dr. Sauvage: 



"The Batrachus porosissi'ivs (Brazil, Delalande), the type of which 

 I have before me, has a strong canine on each side of the vomer; on the 

 palatines are seen at first a strong tooth, then some small teeth, and 

 finally a strong curved tooth. 



"There is also a strong tooth on the vomer in Porichthys porosus 

 (Chili, Gay), but the band of palatine teeth is longer, and in consequence 

 these teeth are more numerous." 



Three species of Porichthys are therefore known at present, as follows: 



1. Porichthys porosissimus (Cuv. & Val.). 



Batrachus porohiHsimus C. »fc V., xii, 501. 



Forichthys 2}orosissimus Gthr., iii, 176 (in part). 



Povicklhys plectrodon Jor. «fe Gilb., Pioc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1882,291. 



Habitat. — West Indian fauna ; Charleston ; Pensacola ; Galveston ; 

 Brazil; Surinam. 



2. Porichthys margaritatus (Richardson). 



Batrachus margaritatus Rich., Voy. Sulphur, Fibhes, p. 67. 

 Porichthys notatus Girard, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1854, 141. 

 Porichthys jyorosissimns Gnather, iW, 17C) {in part; specimen from Van- 

 couver Island). 

 Porichthys margaritatus Jor. & Gilb., Syu. Fish. N. A., 1883, 958. 



Habitat. — Californian fauna; Lower Californian fauna; Vancou- 

 ver Island; Puget Sound; California; Gulf of California; Gulf of 

 Fonseca (Richardson); Panama. 



3. Porichthys porosus (Cuv. & Val.). 



Batrachus porosus Cuv. & Val., xii, 506. 

 Porichthys porosus Giiuther, iii, 177. 



Habitat. — Chilian fauna, coast of Chili. 

 Indiana University, February 20, 1884. 



