G14 CONTEIBUTIOXS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 
Regne Aiiim.: Epltippm {jigas GlLiitlier. li, Cl: Eplnppus gigas Holbrook, leb. S. Car., 
107: Eplnppus faher Holbrook, 1. c. 110: Eplnppus zonatus Girard, U. S, Pac. R. R. 
Surv. 110, I'rom San Diego.) 
Family XCVIIL— CH.ET0D0NTID.4E. 
{The Chcetodonts.) 
Body strongly compressed, elevated, suborbicnlar in outline, covered 
■with moderate-sized or small scales, ■vvliicli are linely ciliated or nearly 
smooth; lateral line pre.sent, concurrent ’udth the back, not extending on 
the caudal fin; mouth small, protractile, terminal; maxillary very short; 
teeth slender or setiform, often extremely long, in narrow bands in the 
jaws; no teeth on vomer or palatines; no canines, molars, or incisors; 
eyes lateral, of moderate size ; branchiostegals (3 or 7 ; pseudobranchiae 
very large; air-bladder present. Gill-membranes more or less attached 
to the isthmus ; gill-rakers very small. Dorsal tin single, continuous, its 
raj’S sometimes lilamentous, its soft part as well as the soft part of the 
anal densely covered with small scales; anal similar to the soft dorsal 
with 3 or 4 spines ; ventrals thoracic, 1, 5. Carnivorous Ashes of the tropi- 
cal seas, noted for their singular forms and bright colors. Genera 5 or 
more; species about 170, most of them belonging to Ghwtodon and Po- 
macanfhns. {kSquamqiinnes part, Giinther, ii, 1-57.) 
a. Preopercnlniii Avithout spine at its angle Cii.etodox, 3e8. 
aa. Preopercnluiu with a strong spine at its angle Poaiacaxtiius, 329. 
32§,— CM.ETOOOilf Linnrens. 
(Saroihrodus Gill: Tetragonoptrus Bleeker. ) 
(Linnreus, Systenia Natni’ie, x, 1758: type Chaitodon cupistnitus L.) 
Body short, deep, very strongly compressed, especially above and 
behind; head small, compressed, almost everywhere scaly; mouth very 
small, terminal, the jaws provided with long, slender, Aexible, bristle- 
like teeth; preoperculum entire or nearly so, without spine. Dorsal fin 
single, continuous, not notched, the spinou.s part longer than the soft 
])art, of about 13 spines; last rays of soft dorsal usually rapidly short- 
ened; caudal peduncle short, the caudal fin fan-shaped; anal similar to 
soft dorsal, preceded by 3 or 4 strong spines. Body covered with rather 
large ctenoid scales, somewhat irregular in their arrangement; the 
lateral line curved, high, parallel with the back. Gill-oiienings rather 
narrow, the membranes narrowly joined to the isthmus; branchiostegals 
G. A very large genus of singular-looking fishes, abounding in the 
