21. ornicHTHYs. 55 



Extremity of the tail free. Teeth on the vomer as weU as in the jaws. 

 "We arrange the apccies of this genus thus : — 



I. Teeth pointed ; pectoral fiu developed in adult examples (see O. cro- 

 codilinus)' . 



A. Maxillary teeth in a double series. 



1. Maudibulary teeth in a double series. 



a. Canine teeth very distinct, p. SO. 



b. The teeth of each series are equal or subequal in size. 



a. Cleft of the mouth wide, more than one-third of the length 



of the head, p. 58. 

 ^. Cleft of the mouth of moderate widtli, less than one-third of 



the length of the head, p. 59. 



2. Mandibulary teeth uniserial. 



a. Lips fringed ( Bradtysomojihis'), p. G4. 



b. Lips not friuged. 



a. Snout much produced; large canine teeth (Lcptor/mit/uts), p. (35. 

 ^3. Snout moderately produced ; no large canine teeth {^llvrpeto- 

 ichthys), p. GO. 



B. Maxillary teeth uniserial. 



1. Dorsal fin commencing behind the root of the pectoral, p. 09. 



2. Dorsal fin commencing above or nearly above the gill-opening, 



p. 73. 



3. Dorsal fin commencing in advance of the gill-opening, p. 74. 



C. Maxillary teetli equally small, forming bands; lips fringed (Cirr/ti- 



murcena), p. 75. 



D. Maxillary teeth tri- or quadriserial ; lips not fringed, p. 7C 



II. Teeth granular (PisodontopMs). 



A. Pectoral developed ; dorsal commencing behind the base of pec- 



toral, p. 77. 



B. Pectoral developed; dorsal commencing in advance of the gill- 



opening, p. 80. 



C. Pectoral rudimentary ; dorsal commencing in advance of the gill- 



opening, p. 81. 



III. Teeth equally small, conical ; pectoral absent (rarely rudimentary) ; 

 gill-openings close together {iSphagehrancJivs^}. 



A. The dorsal commences at some distance behind the gill-opening, 



p. 84. 



B. The dorsal commences above or nearly above the gill-opening, 



p. 80. 



* 1. Ophichthys brachyurus, Poey, Hepert. Fis.-naf. Cuba, ii. p. 426. — Cuba. 



2. Pisoodonophis magnifica, Abbott, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc.Phila-i. 1860, p. 476. 



— Sandwich Islands. 



3. Ophiurus californiensis, Garrett, Proc. Calif. Ac. Nat. Sc. iii. p. 66. — 



Allied to 0. grandimaculatus. 

 t 1. Spbagebranchus rostratus, Bl. ix. p. 88, tab. 419. fig. 2 ; Bl. Sc/m. p. 535, 

 tab. 103. fig. 2 ; Kaup, Abhandl. nirwiss. Vcrein. Hamburg, iv. 2, 1860, 

 p. 15. — Surinam. 

 2. Sphagebrancbus'(?) cephalopeltis, Blech. Vcrh. Hull. Maatsch. Haarlem. 

 1862, Guivce,p. 128. — Coast of Guinea. 



