400 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 
/, Tooth villiforin ; premaxillaries oxtromcly protractilo; gills 4. a 
slit bohiiid last; pseiulobrauchifo 
couoealed Geriud^e, Oil. 
J'f. Teeth not villiforin ; premaxillaries moderately protractile ; gills 
3^; last slit obsolete ; pseudobran- 
chite well developed .Laurid.e, *J4. 
EE. Ventral fins, if present, with the rays in more or less than the normal 
number (I, b). 
h. Anal fin jiresent. 
i. Body compressed and elevated ; the scales very small, or none. 
j. Dorsal spines indistinct. 
k. Ventral rays 4-G Bramid^, 80. 
kk. Ventral rays about 1.5 Lamprididj?:, 78. 
jj. Dorsal spines well developed; veutrals rays about I, 7.Zexid.e, 81. 
ii. Body not specially elevated. 
1. Veutrals thoracic (if present). 
m. Veutrals with more than 5 soft rays; scales ctenoid; head 
armed. 
71. Vent normal BERYCiDiE, 82. 
nn. Vent in front of ventrals; dorsal spines few. 
Apiiredoderid^, 83. 
mm. Ventrals few-rayed or wanting; scales small or wanting. 
0 . Upper jaw produced into a sword; dentition feeble; 
gills reticulated.. -XiPiiiiD^, 72. 
00 . Upper jaw not produced; dentition very strong ; body 
elongate TRicniURiD.E, 73. 
ll. Ventrals jugular (if present). 
}}. Pseudobranchite present. ( Blent! ti/brm fishes. ) 
q. Dorsal with many spines, sometimes entirely spinous. 
BLENXIID.E, 113. 
qq. Dorsal with few spines or none. 
s. Gill-membranes united to the isthmus. 
ZOARCIDiE, 115. 
8S. Gill-membranes broadly united, free from the 
isthmus; ventrals none. 
COXGROGADIDiE, 116. 
sss. Gill-membranes separate, free from the isthmus. 
t. Ventrals filamentous, at the throat; jaws with 
teeth OpiiimiDiE, 118. 
tt. Ventrals none; jaws toothless. 
Ammodytid^e, 69. 
p]}. Pseudobranchia3 obsolete. 
u. Dorsal without distinct spinous part. 
V. Vent at the throat; ventrals none. 
FlERASrERIDJ*:, 117. 
vv. Vent posterior. 
w. Scales cycloid ; caudal fin present. 
Gadid^, 120. 
wtv. Scales spinous, keeled; no caudal fin; 
the tail attenuate. 
Macrurid.e, 121. 
uu. Dorsal fin with a distinct spinous jjart, 
composed of a few spines; ven- 
trals I, 2; gills 3, ihe gill-mem- 
branes broadly united to the 
XBthmus Batrachid^, 112. 
