Jordan and Evermanji. — Fishes of North America. 2173 



The following notes on the types of Prionotus horrena were taken by ns 

 in London : Three young specimen, allied to P. tribulus, but the spines 

 still larger and move knife-like ; iirst spine on edge of snout broad and 

 serrate, 3 behind this progressively larger, then 2 large spines on preo- 

 percle, the jiosterior one the largest; 2 smaller ones on opercle, and 1 

 very large on the scapula ; 2 sharp ones over each eye ; 1 behind the eye ; 

 2 ou top of head and 2 on occiput. Mouth large, maxillary reaching front 

 of eye, 2^ in head; gill rakers long and slender, 5; scales small; pec- 

 torals short, 3 in body, reaching somewhat past second dorsal front; 

 pectorals and tip of caudal dusky; no groove behind the eye; belt of 

 palatine teeth narrow, (horrcns, bristling (creating horror), from the 

 large head spines.) 



Prionotus horrens, Richardson, "Voy. Siilph., Iclith., 79, pi. 42, figs. 1-3, 1843, Gulf of Fon- 

 seca; GuNTHEE, Cat., u, 195, 1860. 



793. BELLATOR, .Jordan & Evermann. 



Bellator, JORDAN & E^•ERJIANN, Clieck-List Fishes, 488, 1896 (militaris). 



This genus is closely allied to PrionoMs, differing chiefly in the great 

 development of the first and second dorsal spines, which are about as long 

 as body. Scales large and very rough. Snout short, abruptly descending. 

 West Indies, (lellator, warrior.) 



a. Body robust; scales large, 40 tubes; snout -with serrated process. militaris, 2501. 

 aa. Body slender ; scales moderate, 60 tubes ; snout without processes, egretta, 2502. 



2501. BELLATOR MILITARIS (Goode & Bean). 



Head 3; depth 3^ ; eye m, = interorbital width; snout 2-^^. D.X-11; 

 A. I, 9 ; P. 12 + 3 ; V. I, 5. Body short, stout, its greatest Avidth at base of 

 pectorals nearly i of length. Head short, snout abruptly descending and 

 with 2 rather long diverging spinous processes at its tip. Orbits much 

 elevated, spines large, and jaws small; distance measured obliquely from 

 tiji of rostral spine to edge of opercular flap 21 in length; nearly all of the 

 spices of head and exposed edges of preorbital, mandible, and opercles 

 minutely serrate ; the diverging spines upon snout themselves armed along 

 margin by numerous spinules; a strong spine ou preopercle, with a sec- 

 ondary spine at its base; the spine on preopercle as long as snout; a stout 

 spine on operculum, another in humeral region, another on nape extending 

 backward to base of fourth dorsal spine. Teeth in jaws, and on vomer 

 and palate, very small, in villiform bands. Length of maxillary a little 

 greater than that of eye; length of mandible a little less than that of 

 snout, reaching about to the vertical from front of eye; a furrow across 

 nape immediately behind eyes; 9 developed gill rakers on the anterior 

 arch, besides several rudiments ; all of the gill rakers very short. Pseudo- 

 branchije present. Branchiostegals 7. Distance of dorsal from tip of snout 

 2i in body ; first 2 dorsal spines much produced ; length of first almost 

 equal to standard length; length of second slightly greater than that of 

 first; the short spine about twice as long as mandible; when the dorsal 



