2308 Bulletin 47, United States Natiojial Museum. 



rays the longest, reaching midway from their base to end of pectorals; 

 origin of fin a distance of the width of pectoral in front of the lower 

 edge of pectoral base ; soft dorsal much higher than anal ; posterior rays 

 reaching slightly past the vertical from base of the last anal ray ; end of 

 the last anal ray about reaching to base of caudal rays; caudal truncate 

 or slightly rounded; a ridge of skin along middle of belly from the ven- 

 trals to vent. Dark brown above, paler below ; upper parts densely cov- 

 ered with small rounded white spots, each surrounded by a black ring; 

 lower jaw and labial fringes similarly spotted; spinous dorsal black, white 

 posteriorly ; soft dorsal brown anteriorly with a horizontal white and 

 black band, then tipped with white; posteriorly with 2 vertical black 

 stripes and a white one between them; caudal black, tipjjed with white, 

 Avith 2 to 4 white longitudinal stripes, its upper and lower edges narrowly 

 white; the anal white at base and tip, with a black median band, \ 

 depth of lin, darkest jiosteriorly ; pectorals brown, with a black band 

 below, the lower edge white, the upper ray spotted ; ventrals white with 

 a black lengthwise streak. Old examples lose the black ring around the 

 spots, and the edges of the spots are blended into the dark brown of the 

 back; a dark strijjc running from the upper angle of gill opening to 

 caudal. South x\tlautic coast from Cape Hatteras to the Caribbean Sea, 

 in sandy bays, rather common in shallow water, varying much with age. 

 Here described from a specimen, 15 inches in length, from Charleston, 

 South Carolina. It is recorded from Charleston, Beaufort, Matanzas 

 Kiver, St. Johns River, Pensacola, Key West, and "the Caribbean Sea." 

 According to Dr. .Tames A. Henshall, the naked area on top of the head 

 in AatroscoiniH is the seat of electric power. This interesting statement 

 needs verification. (Named from the armature of the head, in the form of 

 the Greek T.) 



Uranoscopiis y-cjrceeum, Cuvier Sz. Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., ni, 308, 1829, origin 



unknown; GiJNTHEE, Cat., li, 229, 18G0. 

 TJranoseopus anoplos,* Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Pois.s., viii, 493, 1831 (young 



examples), Charleston, South Carolina. 

 TTpsilonphoriisy-iircRcum, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pliila. 1861, 113; Kirsch, I.e., 263, 1889. 

 Astro.^c(ip%i!s ygrcecum, Bean, Proc. U. S. N;it. Mus. 1879, 58; Jordan &, Gilbert, Synopsis, 



628, 1883. 

 Agnus anoplus, Gunther, Cat., ii, 229, 1860. 

 Astroscopiis anoplus, Jordan Sc Gilbert, Synopsis, 629, 1883. 

 Astroscopus anoplos, Kirsch, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1889, 262. 



* The genus Astroscopus vras based on small specimens which, in onr present opinion 

 are sim])ly iinniaturo examples of the species y-grceeuiti. Tlic supiiosed genus is thus 

 describcil in distinction troui Uptilonphonis, which seems touts tlic adult nttlie same type: 

 Head covered above with Ijone excei)t a small region between and in trout of the eyes, the 

 bony occipital ]date coalescing with the orIjit;d riius; no spines on head; humeral spines 

 obsolete; occipital region withblnntish iirnjcitioiis; naked space between eyes extending 

 back to near middle of orbits; lips and nostrils fringed; no retractile tentacle in mouth. 



The following characters are aasiniu-d by Dr. Kirsch to Astroscoj'ii.'t (uioiiJot!: Head 2J; 

 depth 3i. D. IV-I, 13; A. 13. Pectorals rather large, their longest ray e(|ualing in length 

 ba.se of second dorsal and extending to front of thiittin; ventrals e(|ualing pectorals in 

 length, and extending to front of that fin; the second dorsal equaling anal but its ante- 

 rior insertion slightly i>osterior to that; anal riiys reaching base of caudal; vent much 

 nearer base of caudal than to tip of snout. Color dark brown above, yellowish below; 

 lighter portions of body covered with small white specks; chin jet-black; all the fins 

 whitish. Length 2 inclics. (Specimen from Key West). Small individuals are found 

 along tlio coast from Cape Hatteras to Florida wherever A. y-grcecum is found. The 

 .adult differs mainly in the armature of the top of the bead, a characteriatic which is 

 developed at ditierent ages iu different individuals. 



