1886.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 525 



NOTES ON TYPICAL SPECIMENS OF FISHES DESCRIBED BY CU- 

 VIER AND VALENCIENNES AND PRESERVED IN THE MUSEE 

 D'HISTOIRE NATURELLE IN PARIS. 



By 0AVI0 STARR JORDAIV. 



The writer spent two weeks of the month of July, 1886, in the mu- 

 seum at Paris, in the examination of the original types of species of 

 fishes described by Cuvier and Valenciennes. The most important of 

 the notes thus made, with the conclusions to be drawn from them, are 

 given in the present paper. A few notes on specimens in the British 

 Museum are also included. 



The writer wishes again to express his many obligations to Dr. L6on 

 Yaillant and to M. Alexandre Thomiuot, of the Mus^e d'Histoire Na- 

 turelle, for assistance in his work as well as for many personal favors. 



1. Engraulis argyrophanus. (Cav. & Val., xxi, 49, 1848.) 



Five specimens in fair condition; length about .10^. "Equatorial 

 Ocean : Kiihl and Van Hasselt." 



Form resembling that of Stolephorus ringens. Body slender, not much 

 compressed; the abdomen scarcely compressed and not serrate. Head 

 slim and pointed, the snout much protruding. Teeth very small in 

 both jaws. Opercle short, 3 in head. Snout 5 in head. Eye, 4 J. Gill- 

 rakers very long. Caudal peduncle slender. Insertion of dorsal scarcely 

 nearer caudal than snout. Ventral short, inserted before dorsal. Sides 

 of body abruptly silvery, the white band very wide, forming half the 

 depth of the fish. 



Head, 4 in length to base of caudal. Depth, 5f . Lat. 1. about 45. 

 Anal rays, 1.16. 



These specimens agree with the types of Stolephorus eury stole from 

 Wood's HoU, Mass., in all respects excepting the number of anal rays — 

 1.16 in 8. argyrophanus and 1.18 in 8. eurystole. 



It is not likely that this will prove to be a constant difference, and it 

 is probable that all belong to one species, which should stand as Sto- 



LEPHOEUS ARGYEOPHANUS (Cuv. & Val.). 



2. Saurus synodus. (Cuv. &. Val., xxii, 477, 1849.) 



Two specimens in fair condition, the largest about .18™ in length. 

 Bahia : Blanchet. 



This is apparently a species distinct from all those indicated by Meek 

 (Proc. Ac. Kat. Sci. Phila., 1884, 130). 



Top of head quite warty, marked with radiating and with cross 

 streaks of warts. Interorbital space concave, marked with small warts. 

 Supraorbital with a conspicuous bony ridge. Palatine teeth long and 

 slender, much slenderer than the teeth in the jaw and almost in one 

 series. Eye of in head, snout 4. Maxillary If. Pectoral, 2^. Ven- 



