748 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICIITIIYOLOC Y — IV. 
central portion is formed merely l\y skin, wliicli is separated from the 
pelvic or pnhic bones by several layers of mnscles. The peripheric 
l)ortion is divided into an anterior and posterior part by a dee]) 
notch behind tlie yentrals. The anterior peripheric portion is formed 
by the ventral rays, the membrane between them and a broad fring-e, 
which extends anteriorly from one ventral to the other. This fringe 
is a fold of the skin, containing on one side the rudimentary ventral 
spine, but no cartilage. The posterior peripheric portion is suspended 
on each side on the coracoid, the ni)per bone of which is exceedingly 
broad, becoming a free, movable plate behind tlie pectoral. The lower 
bone of the coracoid is of a triangular form, and sn])i)orts a very 
broad fold of the skin, extending from one side to the other, and con- 
taining a cartilage which runs through the whole of that fold. Fine 
l)rocesses of the cartilage are continued into the soft striated margin, in 
which the disk terminates posteriorly. The face of the disk is coated 
with a thick epidermis, like the sole of the foot in higher animals. The 
epidermis is divided into many polygonal plates. There are no such 
plates between the roots of the ventral tins.” ((tiinther, iii, ]>. 40o.) No 
air-bladder; intestines short; i)yloric coeca few or none ; skeleton tirm; 
vertebne 13 to 14 + 13 to 22. Carnivorous tishes of small size, chietly 
of the warm seas, nsnally living among loose stones between tide-marks 
and clinging to them firmly by means of the adhesive disk. Genera 10; 
species 25 to 30. 
(Goliesocidw Giinthev, iii, 489-515.) 
a. Gill-membvaues free from the isthmus; gills.l; lo^er jaw with incisors; posterior^ 
part of suckiiig-clisk, without a free anterior margin Gobiesox, :>97. 
397. — GOBIESOX Lacdptcle. 
(Laecipede, Hist. Nat. des Poiss. ii, 595, 1800: type Gobiesox cephahis Lac^pbde.) 
r>ody anteriorly' very broad and dei)ressed, posteriorly slender, cov- 
ered with tough, smooth skin; head large, rounded in front; month 
terminal, crescent-shaped; lower jaw with a series of strong incisors in 
front; upper jaw with a narrow band of teeth, those of the anterior 
series larger; no teeth on vomer or ])alatines; gills 3; gill-membranes 
broadly united under the throat, not attached to the istlmms; sucking- 
disk large, the i)Osterior portion without anterior free margin. Si)ecies 
numerous, all American ; mostly troi)ical. {Gohius ; Usox.) 
a. Aual flu of 10 to 15 rays, about as loug as dorsal. (Cendarchns* Gill.) 
h. lueisors of lower jaw entire. 
*Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1802, 330: type Lepadogaster reticulaius Grd. 
{HavXoi, stem; ccpxoi, auus; i. e., aual mauy-rayed. ) 
