Jordan and Evermann. — Fishes of North America. 753 



rest of the head, its base furmed of the lengthened symplectic quadrate 

 and pteiygoid ; teeth very small; premaxillary forming most of margin 

 of mouth, the maxillary exposed at the corner. Branchiostegals 4. Gill* 

 membranes slightly connected, free from the isthmus. Dorsal tin with 

 many small, low, free spines, each of which is depressible in a groove ; soft 

 dorsal short, elevated in front ; anal similar to the second dorsal, preceded 

 by a single spine ; caudal fin small, forked. An oblong, naked area in front 

 of the pectorals. Veutrals subthoracic, very close together, inserted 

 somewhat behind pectorals, I, 4. Vertebne 25 + 29, those behind anal 

 exceedingly compressed. Anterior vertebra} little enlarged. Genera 2- 

 (Aidorhynchus and AttUcMhys); species 2. Small fishes of the Xorth 

 Pacific, very close to the sticklebacks, intermediate between them and 

 the trumpet-fishes. {Aulorlninchtda;, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci, Phila 1862 

 233.) ' ' 



a. Skiu of head naked; pectoral fins emarginate. Aulorhynchus 340 



340. AULORHYNCHUS, Gill. 



Aulorhynchus, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1861, 169, {flai-idus). 

 Auliscops, Peters, Berliner Monatsberichte, 1866, 570, (spinescens). 



Body very long and slender, almost cylindrical; caudal peduncle elon- 

 gate, tapering, much depressed, especially posteriorly. Skiu naked, with 

 a series of small, rugose shields, one on each side of the lateral line, a 

 dorsal row to which the spines are attached, and a row on the lower ed"-e 

 of caudal peduncle. These plates closely resemble the dorsal plates, having 

 a groove through the middle in which for a short distance behind the anal 

 there lies a fin ray, besides small pores, probably mucous pores. Lateral 

 line present. Head not mailed. Mouth small, horizontal, at the end of 

 a tube which is slightly longer than the rest of the head. Premaxillary 

 bones much expanded, with long and slender processes; lower jaw pro- 

 jecting, with a flap at symphysis. Teeth in the jaws rather sharp, almost 

 in one series; palate toothless. Dorsal spines numerous, entirely sepa- 

 rate, equal and very short, the first inserted above the pectorals; dorsal 

 and anal fins posterior, nearly equal, oblong, elevated in front; caudal 

 fin small, emarginate ; pectoral fins emarginate, the upper and lower rays 

 longest ; ventrals not much behind pectorals, each with 1 spine and 4 rays. 

 (avTiSc, a tube; fivyxoij snout.) 



*The gill formula is as follows according to Mr. Butter: 



F. N. A. 



-49 



