no. 1764. THE VENOMOUS TOADFISHES BEAN AM) WEED. 513 



The similarity in appearance between Thalassophryne and Porich- 

 ihys is shown by the fact that one of the three specimens on which 

 Thalassophryne dowi was founded proves to be Porichihys greenei. 



In our descriptions of species of Thalassophrynt we have omitted 

 the fish described by De Vis as Thalassophryne' cozca, a as it is clear 

 from the evidence at hand that this is not a Thalassophryne, and it is 

 not certain that it is closely related to that genus. De Vis docs not 

 stale whether the dorsal spines are hollow or not, and it is not certain 

 from his description that there is an opercular spine developed as a 

 poison organ. He says "gill covers with five spines." If this means 

 that there are five opercular spines, the fish is very different from 

 Thalassophryne and closely related to Opsanus, if, indeed, it does 

 not belong to this genus. If, on the other hand, the statement 

 quoted means that the author was misled by appearances and con- 

 sidered the branchiostegal rays as spines, the species is probably a 

 Porichihys. The mere fact of the presence of two dorsal spines does 

 not prove the relationship of the Jish to Thalassophryne. The eye 

 in many species of toadfish.es is so small and the iris is colored so 

 much like the rest of the fisli that it might easily appear as "an oval 

 spot of lighter colored skin" in a mounted specimen. 



In Thalassophryne the first ventral ray is simple and articulated, 

 with the spines closely appressed to it at its base, while the second 

 ray is divided to its base. 



It is quite remarkable that although many poisonous fishes have 

 the spines grooved, only a single small group, confined, so far as 

 known, to Tropical and South Temperate America, should have 

 developed the apparatus more fully by roofing over the groove and 

 rendering more certain the entrance of the poison into the wound. 



We are indebted to the following museums for the loan of material: 

 Stanford University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cornell Uni- 

 versity, and Indiana University. 



KEY TO THE GENERA OF VENOMOUS TOADFISHES. 



«'. ( >percular spines hollow for the passage of a venom canal; gill membrane narrow; 

 teeth blunl conic or incisor, not canine 



6 1 . Dorsal spines two, hollow Thalassophryne. 



b 2 . Dorsal spines four, the first two hollow Thalassothia. 



Genus THALASSOPHRYNE Gunther. 



Thalassophryne Gunther, Cat. Fish Brit. Mus., vol. 3, p. L75 (1861); Proc. Zool. 



Soc. London, L864, p. L50; 'trans. Zool. Soc. London, vol. 6, L865, pp. 436- 



139, pi. 68. 

 Thalassophryne Meek and Hall. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., L885, pp. 52-62. 

 Thalassophryne Jordan and Evermann, Bull. 47, U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 3, p. 2323 



i Nov. 26, L898). 



" Proc. I. inn. Soc. New South Wales, vol. 9, L884, p. 546. 

 Proc.N.M.vol.38— 10 33 



