66 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. v<.i.. xxvi. 



5. FISTULARIA Linnaeus. 



-Sofcnostomws Klein, Missus, IV, 1740, p. 23 (nonbinomial). 

 Flsfularia Linx.eus, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., 1758, p. 312 {tabacaria). 

 CannorhyvcJius Cantor, Malayan Fishes, 1850, p. 211 {tabacaria; Fistularia l)eing 



regarded as preoccupied by Donati in 1750 for a pre-Linnfean genus of 



Polyps). 

 Flagellaria GRoy^nv, Cat. Fishes, 1854, p. 146 {tistiUaris=(abacaria) . 



Character.s of the genus included above. The ])ony shields, charac- 

 teristic of this genus, are the following: 



1. The narrow strip "along the median line of the hack behind the 

 skull (confluent neural spines). 



2. The pair of broader lateral dorsal shields. These shields are 

 the longest, provided anteriorly with a ridge, which is prolonged and 

 extends far backward between the muscles of the back. This ridge is 

 flexible, and does not interfere with the lateral movements of the fish. 

 It appears to serve as a base for the attachment of muscular fibers. 



3. The narrow shield on the side is the postclavicle, its posterior part 

 being dilated and fixed to the lateral dorsal shields. 



4. The ventral shields are the processes from the hypocoracoids. 

 Their posterior half is broadest, much pitted interiorly. The}^ are 

 narrower before the middle, leaving a free lanceolate space between 

 them, and are again a little widened anteriorly, where thev join the 

 clavicle and urohyal. These plates extend as far backward as the 

 anchylosed vertebne. 



{fistula^ a tube or pipe.) 



a. Upper lateral edges on snout sharply serrated. 



}). Two middle ridges on snout well sej^arated, diverging on anterior part of 

 snout, converging finally on its foremost part; skin nearly smooth. Color 



greenish dejyressa, 6. 



bb. Two middle ridges on snout close together and parallel on anterior half of its 

 length, slowly converging forward from the middle; skin rough. Color, 

 reddish jH'timba, 7. 



6. FISTULARIA DEPRESSA Giinther 



YA(tARA ( ARROW-SH AFT ) . 



Fistularia deprcasa GiJNTHER, Shore Fishes Challenger, 1880, p. 69, pi. xxxii,. 

 tig. D; Sulu Islands, Natal, Zanzibar, Amboyna, China, New Guinea, New 

 South Wales, Fiji, Lower California. — Jordan and Evermann, Fishes N. 

 and M. Amer., 1, 1898, p. 757; Gulf of California, Panama. 



The following description was taken from a small specimen 31 cm. 

 in leng'th (without caudal filament), from Wakanoura. 



Head 2| in length. Depth at pectoral fins equal to long diameter of 

 eye. Width just behind pectorals three-fifths of width at a point just 

 behind ventrals. Dorsal 15; anal 14. 



Body elongate, depressed, as viewed from above the sides are nearly 

 parallel for a short distance behind pectorals, where it is narrower 



