PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 373 



Genus PEIONOTUS Lac^p^de. 



28. Prionotus punctatus (Bloch) Cuv. — Slim Flying Toad. 



Two specimens taken. 



29. Prionotus tribulus C. & V. — Common Flying Toad. 



Very abuudaut iu Beaufort Harbor. This is doubtless tlie species 

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

 strongly marked species from his Cat.dogue, apparently confounding it 

 with P. earoUnus {palmipes Storer), which it resembles iu color, although 

 its real relations arc entirely with P. cvolans. We have seen no specimens 

 of "P. carolimis'^ fi'om the coast of Carolina, and we do not see how, from 

 the Linnaean description, P. caroiinus could be distinguished from P. tri- 

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

 naeus's Trigla Carolina was P. tribubis, or "P. caroiinus,''^ or both. Lin- 

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

 nomenclature of the species must be accepted as provisional only. 



30. Prionotus evolans (L. ) Gill. — Striped Flying Toad. 



Abundant iu the harbor with the preceding species. 



The following is an analysis 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. carolimis. 



* Mouth small : tlie maudiblo not reacLiug tho vertical from the front of the orbit : a 

 distinct transvcr-sc groove connecting the upper posterior angles of the orbit: 

 preopercular spine simple, without basal cusp : head short, the spines on its 

 upper part comparatively v>-eak : blotches on spinous dorsal well defined, 

 ocellated. (Subgenus Prionotus.) 



t Body very slender: sides with nmuerous rouudish brown or bronze spots. 

 P. punctatus (Bloch) C. «fc V. 



Coloration dark olive above : back aud sides covered with numerous round 

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

 life, becoming browni.sh after death : spinous dorsal dusky, with lighter streaks : 

 a dLstiuct black spot on upper half of spinous dorsal, between the fourth and 

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

 on upper half of first spine and membrane, also ocellated behind: second 

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

 with a pinkish border : pectorals blackish : ventrals pale : branchiostegals 

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

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



ttBody rather robust : sides with conspicuous round spots. 

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



Coloration biownish above, clouded \\ath darker : throat aud branchiostegal 

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

 ocellated below : second dorsal with oblique whitish streaks : preopercular 

 spine strong: pectoral appendages strong, always (?) dilated .at their tips: 

 maxillary bone onc-thiid tho length of head : head 3 in body. D. X — 13, A. 12, 

 lat. 1. ca. 55. 



