L86^. ] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 569 



startling innovations. He proposed to remove from the family Platy- 

 \cephalus, Bembras, and Hoplichthys, and subdivided the family as 

 [follows : 



II. Family Tiuglip.i;. 



1. Subfamily Choridaetylince. 



1. Choridactylus. 2. Poleuiius.* 3. Miaous. 4. Apisfeus. 5. Cocotropus.t 



2. Subfamily ScorpcenincB. 



1. Pelor. 2. Pterois. 3. Oreosoma. 4. Seorpseoa. 5. Synaiiceia. 



3. Subfamily Triglinw. 



1. Cephalacanthus. 2. Dactylopterus. 3. PeristethusA 1. Prionotus. 5. Trigla. 



4. Subfamily Cottina . 



1. Trichopleura.§ 2. Cottus. 3. Agonus. 4. Hoplocotttis.W 5. Aploactis. 



5. Subfamily Agriopodince. 

 1. Tricbodou. 2. Blepsias. 3. Gasterosteus. 4. Tamiauotus. :>. Agrioptts. 



Inasmuch as some of the names proposed in this and a subsequent 

 article in which the same fishes were considered from a similar point 

 of view, are retained, it may be well to give Kaup's views and method 

 of treatment. It will therefrom appear that there is nothing in common 

 between his groups and those now adopted except the names and the 

 typical constituents. The contributions of Dr. Kaup to ichthyology 

 are indeed among the curiosities of scientific literature, and serious 

 discussion of his views is unnecessary, if not impossible. 



Before taking up this already numerous family, it is necessary to remove certain 

 genera from it. Among tbese particularly is Monocentris, which represents the boa 

 J h anon, the Scomoerida,, as does Peristethus among the TriglM*, or Agonus among 

 the SL«. Hoplostethns also does not belong here, but among the Holocentnn* 

 This subfamily is thus arranged : 



HolocentriN-E. 1. Holo centrum; 2. Trachichthys;! 3. Rhynchtchthys; 4. /,,/,..>. 

 Myripristls. Holocentrum is closely allied to Bhynohichthys and Myriprvstxs, and ZVoca- 



- iCh Z:^Z^ principally by three soft ventral rays, which are reduced in 

 number and length at the expense of the enormous ventral spine ^ 



Cuvier and Valenciennes concede that Hoplostethns belongs to the Holocenti.ua , 

 since they pronounce this genus as identical with Trachnhthys, 



Dr. Schlegel has from the examination of better preserved specimens nghtlj sep 

 arated HopUchttys and brought it into the subfamily Of^an. ^ de* th^urf 

 only PlauJcephaUs, but also Bembras, must be separated from Ins ^ly, the *** } 



' be Lied to the Aeantk. aMonlnales Cuv. and the last to the *»»£££*«*« ex- 

 However much we may coincide in the general praise of Cuvier an. n m 



cellent work, as to that which concerns the critical arrangemen ., t , .a - h-J, 

 clear definition of genera, and highly accurate descnpfeions J 1 * 



nre and sincerity, we do not equally admire the system ■ - £ ^ 



only a beginning is made, while the authors have been satisfied 1 



separate chapters the cognate forms. There are, therefor ■ 



materials towards a natural system, only they are p at ^ together vnt g * 



principles, and thus the principal reproach against the work^sthal 



^r^T—ZTT^T - tCorvthdbatus Can.. ! Peristedion Lac. 



* Ptenchthys Sw., 2, too. . 



$ Sthenopus R. II Podabrus, Traohyde u , ' . 



1, That T,ac^L^« represents the Earfish, that, is, J^W^^" £*) 

 is only necessary to read what Cuvier (p. 478) says of the eai ol thu g 



