188G.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 37 



56. Caranx crinitus Mitchill. Pdmpano. 



(Blcpharis crinitus and Scyris analis Poey.) 



57. Vomer setipinnis Mitchill. Jorobado. 



In tliePioc. U. S. Nat. Miis., 1885, 19G, Messrs. Goode & Uoaii a(loi)t 

 fortius si)ecies the name of Vomer vomer, rogardinii' il ii.s \ho Zeus comer 

 of Linua-'us, which has been hitherto considered as belonying to a species 

 with falcate dorsal {Selene vomer). We may, tlierefore, inquire into the 

 liistory of the name Zeus vomer. 



In the tentli edition of the Systema Naturie the name Zeus vomer is 

 first given, and it is based on the Rliomhoida alepidota argentea, &c., of 

 Sh)an, and the Ztvs cauda hifiirca of the Maseum Adolphi Frederici. 

 In tlie twelfth edition of the Systema Natune the description of Zeus 

 vomer is somewhat lengthened, and the reference to Brown disa[)pears. 

 It is evident that we should consider the tish described by Linnaeus 

 himself in his account of the museum of Adolphus Frederic as the type 

 of his species, rather than the fish of Brown, erroneously included in 

 the sj'uonymy. It seems also that the later omission of the reference 

 to Brown shows that Linnaeus had become aware that Brown's fish was 

 not identical with his Zeus vomer. 



The Uhomhoida alepidota, &g., of Brown is apparently Vomer setipin- 

 nis, while the Zeus cauda bifurca, the basis of Zeus vomer, is evidently 

 Selene vomer, as is shown by the very good figure and by the descrip- 

 tion which I here quote in full : 



" Zeus cauda bifurca. Art. gen. 50, syn. 28. 



" Gallus marinusf. Faber indicus. Will, app't. 7. 



" Ahacatuaja. Margr. bras., 161. 



" Brasile Bristle Fin. Pet. gaz., 3, t. 59, f. 3. 



" Habitat in Brasilia. 



" Corpus compressum and fere membranaceum ut in Pleuronecte. 

 Color argenteus absque squamis, nitidissimus. Humeri valde gibbi. 

 Linea lateralis valde sursum incurvata in medio. 



" Caput maxime declive, a summis humeris linea recta ad os. Meni- 

 brana branchiostega radiis 6. Maxilla inferior transversa ad os. Pinna 

 dorsi anterior radiis 8, quorum 1 brevis, 2 longissimus, 3 and 4 connexi 

 praecedentibus ; 5, G, 7, 8 brevissimi non connexi. Posterior radiis 22, 

 quorum 1 brevis spinosus, 2 longissimus mollis ; 3, 4, 5 minores, reliqui 

 ad hue minores aequales. Pectorales radiis 18 moUibus, lauceolataj. 

 Ventrales radiis 4, longiores pectoralibus, apice nigricantes. Ani radiis 

 19, quorum 1 spinosus brevis ; 2, 3, 4 longiores, lanceolati. Pelicpii 

 aequales. Cauda' radiis 20, valde bifurca. Spina in medio abdominis 

 ]n-ominet inter ])innas ventrales, pone anum, bidentata. Spina prima 

 in ])iuna ani antrorsum prominet basideute aucta." (Linnaeus. Museum 

 Adolph. Frederici, p. 67.) 



Widely distributed and common iis this fish is, it seems to have re- 

 ceived no binomial name prior to that given by Mitchill. 



