372 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



terus) viviparous, the other oviparous. Genera about 8, species ICO ; 

 abounding in all warm seas, some of them entering fresh waters. 



(Scomieresocidoe Giinther, vi, 233-298.) 



"Jaws with sharp, wide-set teeth; both jaws prolonged, forming a beak; finlets 

 none. (^BelonincD.) 



a. Gill-rakers none ; no teeth on vomer or palatines Tylosukus, 181. 



** Jaws with very small teeth, or none. 



1). Maxillary anchylosed to premaxillary. 

 c. Both jaws more or loss i^rolonged ; dorsal and anal with finlets. (Scomhere- 



SOCinCB.) SCOMBERESOX, 182. 



cc. Lower jaw only produced; no finlets. (Hemirhamphina!.) 

 d. Anal fin of the male not modified ; species oviparous. 



Hemirhamphus, 183. ' 

 t&. Maxillary separate from premaxillary; neither jaw produced; no finlets; 

 pectoral fins elongate. (Exoccetince.) 

 e, Ventrals anteriorly placed, not reaching to the anal.HALOCYPSELUS, 184. 

 ee. Ventrals ijosteriorly placed, reaching past front of anal. 



/. Chin without barbel ExcCfETUS, 185. 



ff. Chin with one or two barbels or fleshy appendages. Cypselurus, 186. 



1§1.— TYLOSUKUS Cocco. 

 Gar-fishes. 



(Cocco, Lettere in Giornale Sci. Let. Sicilia, xvii, 18: type TyJosurus* cantraini 

 Cocco = Esox imperialis Ra{.) 



Body elongate, very slender, not much compressed. Both jaws pro- 

 longed into a beak, the lower jaw somewhat the longer, much the longer 

 iu young fishes, the very young resembling Hemirhamphus. Both jaws 

 armed with a band of small, sharp teeth, besides which is a series of 

 longer, wide-set, sharp, conical, unequal teeth. No teeth on vomer or 

 l^alatines. Maxillaries grown fast to premaxillaries. Scales small, de- 

 ciduous. Lateral line running along the side of the belly, becoming 

 median on the tail. No finlets. Dorsal fin usually elevated anteriorly. 

 Caudal fin short, truncate or forked. Pectorals and ventrals small, the 

 latter inserted behind the middle of the body. Gill-rakers obsolete. Air- 

 bladder present. Ovary single. Bones usually green. Size compara- 

 tively large. Species numerous. Voracious fishes, found in most seas. 

 This genus differs from Belonef {Belone vulgaris Cuvier) in the absence 

 of gill-rakers and vomerine teeth. {ruXoq, callous; oupd, tail; in allusion 



*We are informed by Dr. Vinciguerra, of Genoa, that the gill rakers are obsolete 

 iu Tylosurua imperialis, as in all the American species formerly referred to Belone. 



t Cuvier, R^gne Auim. ii, 1817: type Esox helone h. = Belone rulgaris Fleming. 

 {fiFXovrj, an ancient name of some fish whose "belly splits to allow the escapeof the 

 eggs, the wound afterwards healing," doubtless Syngnathus ; /3eAoi, a dart.) 



