J1S2 Bidlctin //, United States National Mnscicm. 



of head without its prolongations. Dorsal origin directly in line with 

 upper angle of gill opening; the origin of anal under that of second dor- 

 sal; ventrals slightly in advance of pectorals, and not so far back, though 

 their tips reacli somewhat beyond vent; pectorals rather long; about 25 

 rows of scales. Gulf of Mexico. The type, about 2 inches long, is in the 

 Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, and has been examined 

 in the preparation of this description, but the example being unique 

 and small, we have not ventured to examine it so closely as would have 

 been practicable with more material. It is, however, apparently a well- 

 marked species, resembling in a general way P. longispathum. It was 

 obtained by Poey from the stomach of Polymixia noiilis, taken near Cuba 

 in deep water. (Goode & Beau). Near Cuba, in deep water, from 

 stomachs of Polymixia (Coll. Poey). A few specimens in bad condition 

 were taken by Jordan & Stearns from stomachs of Groupers and Snappers 

 on the Snapper Banks off Pensacola. In these specimens, which seem 

 to represent Poey's imherbis, the dorsal rays are about V-19, scutes 30; 

 each side of body with 4 rows of spinous plates, the ventral series with 

 hooked spines, {imberhis, beardless. ) 



Peristedion imberhe, Poey, Mem. Hist. Nat. Cuba, u, 367, 389, 1861, Cuba; Poey, Eep. 



Eisli. Nat. Cuba, n, 158, 1866; Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1884, 38; Goode & Bean, 



Oceanic Ichthyology, 472, 1896. 

 Peristedion microneinus, Poey, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. T., ix, 1870, 321, Cuba ; substitute 



name on finding the existence of barbels. 

 Peristethus micronema, GtJNTHEK, Challenger Report, Deep Sea Fishes, xxii, 65, 1887. 



Family CLXXXVI. CEPHALACANTHID.E. 



(The Flying Gurnards.) 



Body elongate, subquadraugular, tapering behind; head very blunt, 

 quadrangular, its surftice almost entirely bony; nasals, preorbitals, sub- 

 orbitals, and bones of toji of head united into a sliield; nuchal part of 

 shield on each side produced backward in a bony ridge, ending in a strong 

 spine, which reaches past front of dorsal ; interocular space deeply con- 

 cave; preorbitals forming a projecting roof above the jaws; preopercle 

 produced in a very long rough spine; cheeks and opercles with small 

 scales; operole smaller than eye; gill openings narrow, vertical, separated 

 by a A-ery broad, scaly isthmus ; pseudol)ranchia^ large ; gill rakers minute ; 

 mouth small, lower jaw included; jaws with granular teeth; no teeth on 

 vomer or palatines; scales bony, strongly keeled; 2 serrated, knife-like 

 appendages at base of tail ; first dorsal of 4 or 5 rather high flexible spines, 

 the first 1 or 2 spines nearly free from the others ; an immovable spine 

 between the dorsals ; anal and second dorsal short, of slender rays ; caudal 

 small, lunate; pectoral fins divided to the base into 2 parts, the anterior 

 portion about as long as the head, of about 6 rays, closely connected ; the 

 posterior and larger portion more than twice length of head, reaching 

 nearly to caudal in the adult (Dactyl optcrua) ; much shorter in the 

 young (Cephal acanthus); these rays very slender, simple, wide apart at 

 tijj ; ventral rays I, 4, the long fins pointed, their bases close together, 



