388 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV 
biaiicliiiv present. Gills 4, a slit beliiiul the fourth. pyloric coe.ca ; 
intestinal canal short. A single genus of three or more species, chielly 
of the Old World, one of them straying to America. 
{Cintriscida: part, genus Centriscus Giintlier, iii, 518-C#i4.) 
189.— CEWTRISCHJS Liimanis. 
Snipe-fishes. 
(Linuanis, Syst. Nat. 1753 : type Centriscus scolopax L.) 
The characters of the genus are included above. {y.evTpi(Ty.oq^ an 
ancient name of some spinous fish ; from y.hTpw.^ a spine.) 
021. C. SCoBopa-X Linn. — Snipc-fish; Trumpet-fish; BcUoics-fish. 
Hose red or reddish olive above, silvery on the sides and belly. Body 
strongly compressed and somewhat elevated, covered with small striated 
scales, each stria terminating in a rather strong spine; second dorsal 
spine very strong, serrated posteriorly, its length about L total length 
of fish ; snout several times longer than the rest of the head. Head 2.^ 
in length ; depth to 4. D. V-12 ; A. 20. Mediterranean Sea ; occa- 
sional northward ; accidental on our coast. 
(Linn. Syst. Nat.; Giinther, iii, 518.) 
Family LXI.— FISTULARIIDiE. 
( The Trumpet- fishes. ) 
Body extremely elongate, much depressed, broader than deep. Xo 
scales. Bony jilates i^resent on various parts of the body. Head 
very long, the anterior bones of the skull much produced, forming a 
long tube, which terminates in the narrow mouth; both jaws, and 
usually the vomer and palatines also, with minute teeth ; membrane 
uniting the bones of the tube below, very lax, so that the tube is capa- 
ble of much dilation. Branchiostegals 5-7 ; gills 4, a slit behind the 
fourth. Gill-membranes separate, free from the isthmus; gill-rakers ob- 
solete. Pseudobrauchim present. Air-bladder large. Spinous dorsal fin 
entirely absent; soft dorsal short, posterior, somewhat elevated; anal fin 
opposite it and similar; caudal fin forked, the middle rays produced 
into a long filament ; pectorals small, with a broad base, iireceded by a 
smooth area as in Gasterosteidcc ; ventral fins very small, wide apart, 
abdominal, far in advance of the dorsal, composed of C soft rays. Py- 
loric ceeca few ; intestines short. Vertebra? very numerous (4 + 49 + 33). 
Fishes of the tropical seas, related to the Sticklebacks in structure, but 
