322 POLYNEMID^. 



ciilum. The \'illiform teeth of the pakitinc and pterygoid bones form 

 a broad band. Pectoral black. 

 Caribbean Sea. 



a. Adult. S. Domingo. From Mr. Cuming's Collection. 



6. Adult male : skeleton. S. Domingo. From Mr. Cuming's Col- 

 lection. 



e. Half-grown. S. Domingo. From Mr. Cuming's Collection. 



(?-?'. Adult and half-grown : skins. Jamaica. From Dr. Parncll's 

 Collection. 



h. Yoimg. West Indies. 



I, m. Half-grown. South America. From Mr. Brandt's Collection. 



n. Adult. Sine patria. From the Haslar Collection. 



Air-bladder simple. 



Skeleton. — The bones of the skull are thin and frail, with the 

 system of the muciferons channels moderately developed. There are 

 five crests on the upper surface of the crown : the occipital crest, not 

 extending beyond the occipital bone, triangular and moderately ele- 

 vated ; the lateral paii', diverging from the middle of the interorbital 

 space towards the interior process of the suprascapula ; the outer pair, 

 running from the posterior angle of the orbit towards the exterior 

 process of the suprascapula. The anterior part of the princijial 

 frontal bones is provided with several openings, leading into mu- 

 ciferons channels in the interior of the bones. The infraorbital riag 

 contains scarcely any ossifications. The maxillary is styliform in 

 its basal half, and gradually widens posteriorly ; the intermaxillaiy 

 is as long as the maxillary, slender, styliform, with a narrow band 

 of minute teeth, and with the posterior processes ascending in an 

 obliqiie outward direction. The mandibula is feeble, with a wide 

 cleft between the dentary and articulary bones. The head of the 

 vomer is slightly swollen, toothed. The praeoperculum is narrow, 

 with a short inferior limb, and with the muciferons channel rudi- 

 mentary ; it is armed with a small flat spine at the angle, and with 

 a distinct serratm-e along its posterior margin. The operculum is 

 triangular, with a slight ridge on its inner siu'face. 



There are ten abdominal and fourteen caudal vertebrce ; their apo- 

 physes are feeble ; the first interneural of each of the dorsal fins is 

 slightly compressed. 



8. Polynemus oligodon. 



D. 8 I ^. A. ^. L. lat. 70. L. transv. 7/14. 



Seven pectoral appendages of moderate length. The chstance be- 

 tween the root of the ventral and the origin of the anal is less than 

 that between the posterior nostril and the point of the operculum. 

 The viUiform teeth of the palatine and pterygoid bones form a narrow 

 band. Pectoral and top of the first dorsal black. 



Atlantic coasts of Tropical America. 



a. Adult. Rio Janeiro. Presented by A. Fiy, Esq. 



h. Adult : skin. Jamaica. From Dr. Parnell's Collection. 



