24. CRYPTACANTHODES. 291 



23. XIPHIDION. 



Xiphidion, Girard in U. S. Pact/. E. R. Exiwd. Fishes, p. 119. 



Body very elongate, naked, or covered with rudimentary scales, 

 with several lateral lines, each emitting lateral branches. Snout 

 short; small teeth in the jaws, with canines ; palate smooth. One 

 dorsal, formed by spines only ; caudal distinct ; ventrals none. Six 

 branchiostegals ; gill-opening of moderate width, with the gill- 

 membranes united below the throat ; pscudobranchiaj present. 



Coast of California. 



1. Xiphidion mucosuiu. 



Girard, I. c. 



D. 65. A. 48. 



The maxUlarj- reaches to the vortical from the posterior margin 

 of the orbit. Three lateral lines extend from the head to the base 

 of the caudal : they are equidistant, the upper and the lower being 

 nearer to the dorsal and ventral outlines than to the middle one ; 

 the fourth duct runs from the base of the pectoral to the vent, and is 

 connected with its fellow by a common branch extending from below 

 the pectorals towards the throat. Olive, clouded with blackish- 

 brown ; two streaks on the cheek. 



Coast of California. 



a-c. Adult and half-grown. Monterey. — Scales rudimentary, but 

 conspicuous. Girard was uncertain about the presence of scales, 

 having had specimens in an imperfect state of preservation. 



24. CRYPTACANTHODES. 



Cryptacanthodes, Storcr, Rejiort Fish. 3Iassach. p. 28. 



Body very elongate, naked, with a single lateral line. Head ob- 

 long, subquadrangular, with the muciferous channels well developed. 

 Eye rather small. Conical teeth in the jaws, on the vomer and on 

 the palatine bones. One dorsal, formed by spines only ; caudal 

 distinct, but contiguous with dorsal and anal ; ventrals none. Six 

 branchiostegals ; giU-opening of moderate width, with the gill-mem- 

 branes joined to the isthmus ; four giUs, pseudobranchife. 



Coast of Massachusetts. 



1. Cryptacanthodes maculatus. 



Storcr, I. c. : Dekay, New York Fauna, Fishes, p. 03. pi. 18. fig. 60. 

 D. 75-77. A. 47-50. 



Teeth in the jaws cardiform ; those on the vomer and the palatine 

 bones rather strong, in a single series. Eeddish-brown, spotted with 

 darker. 



Coast of Massachusetts. 



«, h. Adult. Boston. Presented by B. Winstone, Esq. 



V 2 



