Jordan and Evermann.— Fishes of North America. 2737 



3H9. 0(JCOCEPHALUS VESPERTILIO (Linn.neua). 

 (Bat FisH; Diablo.) 



Head, from tip of upper jaw to gill opening, nearly ithelengtli; depth 

 5 in length from upper jaw to base of caudal; width If. D. 4: A. 4; ros- 

 tral process from 6 to 10 (9 in our specimens from Havana) ; P. 4i; V. 6; 

 C 4^^ Body stoutish, much depressed, rostral process longer than in the 

 other species, variable in length; mouth small, the maxillary reaching 

 nearly to posterior margin of eye ; villiform teeth in bands, on jaws, vomer, 

 and palatines; interorbital llattish, its width less between anterior edge of 

 eyes than posterior edge; rostral groove longer than broad; body covered 

 with bony protuberances, variable in size, and not very definite in posi- 

 tion lower parts with a shagreen-like covering; posterior edge of pec- 

 torals much behind middle of body; veutrals long, reaching outward to 

 edge of the disk-like, anterior part of body ; origin of dorsal over posterior 

 edge of pectoral; anal under the vertical of tips of dorsal rays, anal reach- 

 ing nearly to base of caudal. Pale grayish brown above, reddish below; 

 back with round black spots, conspicuous in life, but growing fainter and 

 sometimes disappearing in spirits; belly in life a coppery red; pectorals 

 nearly plain dusky. Length 12 inches. West Indies, north to the \ lorida 

 Keys- common in shallow water. Here described from a specimen from 

 Havana, Cuba, about 10 inches in length. The length of the snout is 

 subject to great variation, but it is never short and button-like, as in O. 

 radiatua. {vcspertiUo, a bat.) 

 Lophim vespertUio, Linn^ds, Sy8t. Nat., Ed. x, 1, 236, 17,58, American Seas ; after Lophm>> 



fronti vnicorni of Aktkdi. , _„„_ 



Malth^a vespertUio, Cuv.er & Valenciennes, Hist. Kat. Poiss.. xii 440, 1837 ; P-nnnence 

 on snout 10 in length ; He Kay, N. Y. Fauna : Flsbe-s, 167, 1842 ; Gunther, Cat .1^00 

 1861; JORDAN & GILBERT, Syopsis, 850.1883; Jordan & Swain, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 



1884, 234. 

 iopAms ro.5«m«MS, Shaw, Zool., IV, 383, pi. 163, 1803^ 

 Malthcea longirostru, Cuvier & Valenciennes, H.st. Nat. Pmss., xii, 452, 1837, Bahia 



(Coll. Blanchet) ; snout 6 in length. 



3120. OOOOOEPHALUS NASUTUS (Cuvier & Valenciennes). 



Head 2 D 4- A, 4. Rostral process short, about 12 to 15 times in 

 leno-th of body. Cavity of nostril tentacle higher than broad; width ol 

 bodV 2 in length ; vent behind middle of body. Dusky above, with round 

 black spots, edged with whitish. West Indies. (Liitken) ; not seen by 

 us- perhaps a variation of 0. vespertUio. {nasutus, long-nosed.) 

 MaWuea n.suta, Cdvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., xii 452, 1837, M-'-tiniq"- 

 Malthe nasula, Lutken, Nat. For. Vid. Medd. 1865, 4 ; Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 850, 



MauTl notata, Cuvier .t Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., xii, 453, 1837, Surinam ; snout 

 15 in length; body spotted. 



