174 BATEACHID^. 



mensis on the western coasts of America, until I received a specimen 

 of the true B. surinamensis from the same side of that continent ; 

 it must be specifically distinguished, as it differs in the dentition of 

 the lower jaw, in the number of the fin-rays, &c. 



9. Batrachus surinamensis. 



Batrachus surinamensis, Bl. Schn. p. 43. tab. 7 (^bad) ; Cuv. 8^ Vol. xii. 



p. 488. 

 Batrachoides tau, Lacep. ii. p. 1. pi. 12. fig. 1. 



D. 3 I 28-29. A. 25-26. V. 1/2. Vert. 12/27. 



Scaly. The length of the head is two-sevenths or one-fourth of 

 the total. Eye very small. Gill-covers with four spines directed 

 backwards, two belonging to the operculum and two to the sub- 

 operculimi. A horizontal fold of the skin from below the eye 

 towards the upper portion of the praeoperculum, covering a series of 

 large pores. Teeth of the vomer and the palatines and those on 

 the side of the mandibula obtusely conical, in a single series ; the 

 anterior teeth of the latter form a villiform patch, but there are no 

 anterior canine-like teeth. Snout very broad, obtuse, flat and de- 

 pressed, with short tentacles ; no tentacle above the eye. Cleft of 

 the mouth very wide. No foramen in the axil. Light brown, mar- 

 bled with darker, and \vith four broad deep-brown cross-bars, one 

 of which is on the neck. Dorsal and anal fins with obUque irregular 

 brown streaks. 



Atlantic coasts of Tropical America. Pacific coast of Central 

 America. 



a. Half- grown. West Indies. 



6, c. Adalt : not good state. Deraerara. Presented by Sir R. 



Schomburgk. 

 d-e. Half-grown : not good state. British Guiana. Presented by 



Sir R. Schomburgk. 

 /. Half-grown. West coast of Central America. Collected by 



Captain Daw. Presented by Dr.. P. L. Sclater, Seer. Zool. Soc. 

 cj. Half-grown : bad state. Purchased of Mr. Bartlett. 



The air-bladder is composed of two oblong lateral lobes, united 

 posteriorly. 



2. THALASSOPHRYNE*. 



Head broad, depressed ; body subcylindrical anteriorly and com- 

 pressed posteriorly ; skin naked. Canine teeth none. Operculum 

 with a single spine. The spinous dorsal formed by two spines of 

 moderate length. Gill-opening not very narrow, not extending 

 to the isthmus. 



Atlantic coasts of Tropical America. 



* Greek denomination for Sea-toad. 



