4. VRISTIPOJIA. tldl 



prieoibital : there is uo interior plate to .siii)port the eyebiill fi-oni 

 beneath. The praeorbital is trianguhir, with the lowfsr side curved, 

 and has three or four cavities or wide ojjenings of its muciferous 

 channel. The operculum is very ii-regularly shaped, and posteriorly 

 armed with two points of nearly equal size, separated from each 

 other by a deep notch ; the lower is more acute : there is no ridge on 

 the interior side of the bone. Sub- and iuteroperculum A^dthout 

 any denticidation. The pi'ieoperculum is very strongly built and 

 armed ; there are three strong but short spinous teeth at the angle, 

 and filteen smaller ones along the posterior margin ; the upper of 

 these teeth are directed upwards ; the lower margin is slightly con- 

 vex and entire. It has four wide openings of the muciferous channel ; 

 two larger ones on the lower limb, and two smaller ones above the 

 angle. The suprascapula is strongly, the coracoid bone not serrated. 



The vomer is anteriorly broad, rounded, along its middle slightly 

 concave, wthout any teeth. The teeth in the jaws are placed in 

 broad vilUform bands, the lateral ones being scarcely larger than the 

 remainder. The pharj-ngeal teeth are short, cardifonn. 



There are eleven abdominal and fifteen caudal vertebrae ; the length 

 of the former portion of the column being to that of the caudal as 

 1 : 1-5. There are several spiuious interneural spines (interneurals 

 without corresponding dorsal spine) in front of the dorsal fin, and 

 each of these interneurals tenninates above in a small hook, directed 

 forwards, as is the case in many other fishes. ITie first interha'mal 

 is veiy strong, with deep longitudinal grooves ; its length equals that 

 of the first eight vertebriB. 



20. Pristipoma coro. 



Seba, iii. 27. 14. 

 Coro-coro, Marqr. p. 177. 

 Sciaena coro, BL pi. 307. f. 2 ; Bl. Schn. p. 81. 



Pristipoma coro, Cuv. * I'al. v. p. 266 : Cue. Jtlone Anini. III. Poiss. 

 pi. ;30. f. 2. 



D. 11 1 ^. A. J. L. lat. 50. L. transv. ^^. 



The height of the body is 3^ in the total length, the length of the 

 head '3^ ; the diameter of the eye is one-fomth of the latter ; the 

 snout is rather longer, with the lower jaw longest, and Mi'th the cleft 

 of the mouth moderate, the upper maxOlaiy reaching somewhat 

 beyond the vertical from the anterior margin of the eye. The pos- 

 terior limb of the prffioperculum obliquely descending backwards, 

 with pointed, cHstant, spinous teeth ; two strong spinous teeth at the 

 angle. Doi-salis deeply notched, with rather strong and long spines ; 

 the fourth longest, rather more than one-half the length of the head. 

 Caudalis tnincated ; the second anal spine exceedingly strong, and 

 even longer than the fourth of the dorsal. Body with about eight 

 brownish cross-bands. 



Atlantic coasts of Tropical America. 



a, b. Adult. S. Domingo. Purchased of Mr. Cuming. 



