PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 373 

 Genus PEIOXOTUS Lacepede. 



28. Prionotus punctatus (Blocb) Guv. — Slim Fhjbig Toad. 

 Two specimens taken. 



29. Prionotus tribulus C. & Y. — Common Fhjlng Toad. 



Very abundant in Beaufort Harbor. This is doubtless the species 

 mentioned as Prionotus carolinns by Dr. Yarrow. Dr. Gill omits this 

 strongly marked species from his Catalogue, apparently confounding it 

 with P. caroUnus {2)cilniipes Storer), which it resembles in color, although 

 its real relations are entirely" with P. evolans. "We have seen no specimens 

 of "P. carolinus^^ from the coast of Carolina, and we do not see how, from 

 the Linn^ean description, P. caroUnus could be distinguished fi-om P. tri- 

 hulas. It becomes, therefore, perhaps an open question whether Lin- 

 noeus's Trigla Carolina was P. tribulus, or "P. caroUnus,'''' or both. Lin- 

 ineus's Trigla evolans is apparently equally uncertain, so that the present 

 nomenclature of the species must be accepted as provisional only. 



50. Prionotus evolans (L.) Gill. — Striped Fhjing Toad. 



Abundant in the harbor with the preceding species. 



The following is an analj'sis of the characters of the species of Priono- 

 tus found in the United States. P.pilatus Storer is not included, it being 

 probably identical with P. caroUnus. 



" ilontli .small: tlie mandible not reacbiug tlie vertical from tlie front of the orl>it : a, 

 distinct transverse groove connecting the upper posterior angles of the orbit : 

 preopercular spine simple, vrithout basal cusp : head short, the si^ines on its 

 upper part comparatively weak : blotches on spinous dorsal well defined, 

 ocellated. (Subgenus Prionotus.) 



t Body very slender: sides with numerous roundish brown or bronze spots. 

 P. punctatus (Bloch) C. & V. 



Coloration dark olive al)Ove : back and sides covered v/ith numerous round 

 spots of ditferent sizes, and not arranged in series : these spots bronze color in 

 life, becoming brownish after death : spinous dorsal dusky, with lighter streaks : 

 a distinct black spot on upper half of spinous dorsal, between the fourtli and 

 fifth spine, this spot being ocellated below and behind : a second black blotch 

 on upjier half of first spine aud membrane, also ocellated behind : second 

 dorsal and caudal spotted and finely blotched with black : anal largely black, 

 with a pinkish border: i)ect orals blackish: ventrals pale: brauchiostegals 

 pinkish : first dorsal rather high : head 3^ times in length to base of caudal : 

 maxillary one-third length of head. D. X — 13. A. 11., lat. 1. about 75. 



1 1 Body rather robust : sides with conspicuous round .spot.s. 

 P. caroUnus (L.) C. & V. 



Coloration brownish al)ove, clouded Avith darker: throat and branchio.stegal 

 membrane dark : a distinct black blotch on upjier half of .spinous dorsal, this 

 ocellated below : second dorsal with oblique whitish streaks : preopercular 

 spine strong: pectoral appendages strong, ahvaj^s (?) dilated at tlieir tips: 

 maxillary bone one-third the length of head : head 3 in Ijody. D. X— 13, A. 12, 

 lat. 1. ca. 5.5. 



