63 329 



male). The rays in the middlf and behind the middle of the anal and second 

 dorsal somewhat elongated, thns giving the profile of these fins a higher and more 

 acutely arched shape than in the preceding species. 



Colour light brownish, irregularly mottled with orange spots; membrane of 

 first dorsal with two dark ocelli between the first 3 rays. 

 P. 24 -26, D. 5 18— 22, A. 18-23, C. 16, V. 7. 



Conclusion. 

 With the preceding part of the present contribution I have finished my ac- 

 count of the principal structural features, especially the osteology, of the fishes 

 which in my first contribution I considered to be a group of related forms and 

 (23 b p. 42 [4]) provisionally had designated as "Hemibranchii (-^ Gastrosteidæ and 

 Aulorhynchidæ) + "Lophobranchii" (Solenostomidæ and Syngnalhidæ)", at the same 

 time pointing out a number of characteristics in the composition of the cranial skel- 

 eton, which seemed to me an expression of natural affinity. Since the publication 

 of my first paper I have had the great satisfaction of learning that the author of 

 the latest attempts at a systematic arrangement of the Class Pisces, C. T. Regan, has 

 adopted my view (45 b and c). Furthermore he has given the group as circum- 

 scribed by me a systematic name, namely Solenichthyes, to replace the, of course, 

 quite provisional designation quoted above. Originally, however, Regan only in- 

 cluded Amphisile and Centriscus under the name Solenichthyes (cfr. 23 b Note 1, p. 

 42); but later (45) he has extended its domain to embrace all the forms pointed 

 out by me as related. Although I do not like the name on purely etymological 

 grounds*, I adopt it and am going to use it in the following systematic arrange- 

 ment, in which I shall try to condense the principal characteristics set forth and 

 treated at length in the descriptive parts of my work. 



Suborder Solenichthyes. 



Snout tubiform, mouth terminal, the ethmovomerine part of skull and man- 

 dibular suspensory parts anterior to hyomandibular being greatly elongated; pala- 

 tine short and connected with front end of vomer; metapterygoid, if present, 

 removed from contact with the hyomandibular. Parietals and opisthotics absent; 

 pterotics joining cranial base below, preventing exoccipitals from meeting pro- 

 otics. Opercular apparatus consisting of the 3 usual bones. Lateral line bones of 

 head reduced in number or absent; infraorbitals, if present, only represented 

 by preorbitals, never containing any lateral line canal. Anterior 3—6 vertebræ 

 immovable. Ribs absent. Gills 4, pseudobranchia present; branchial slits 5. 



liecaii.se tlu- fishes themselves are not tiil)iroiiii, only then- snouts being so. 



