322 POLYNEMID^, 



ciilum. The villiform tcetn of the palatine and pterygoid bones form 

 a broad band. Pectoral black. 

 Caribbean Sea. 



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



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



lection. 



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

 d-i. Adult and half-grown: sldns. Jamaica. From Dr. Pamcll's 



Collection. 

 l\ Young. 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 muciferous 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 pair, 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 principal 

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

 ciferous channels in the interior of the bones. The infraorbital ring 

 contains scarcely any ossifications. The maxillary is styliforra in 

 its basal half, and gradually widens posteriorly ; the intermaxillary 

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

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

 oblique 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 prajoperciilum is narrow, 

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

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

 a distinct serrature along its posterior margin. The operculum, is 

 triangular, with a slight ridge on its inner sui-face. 



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

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

 slightly compressed. 



8. Polynemus oligodon. 



D. 8 I -. A. 4- L- lilt. 70. L. transv. 7/14. 



I 13 16 



Seven pectoral appendages of moderate length. The distance 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 \-illiform teeth of the palatine and pterj-goid bones form a narrow 

 band. Pectoral and top of the first dorsal black. 



Atlantic coasts of Tropical America. 

 «. Adult. Rio Janeiro. Presented by A. Fry, Esq. 

 b. Adult : skin. Jamaica. From Dr. ParncU's Collection. 



