304 PKISTIPOMATIDJC. 



Skeleton. — In this species the system of muciferous channels is 

 still less developed than in Puistipoma crocro. The occipital crest is 

 very elevated, and extends to the anterior extremity of the frontal 

 bones ; the lateral crests, between the orbit and suprascapula, are 

 relatively as high. At the anterior end of each frontal bone there is 

 a wide oval opening continued into the channel-shaped turbinal bone. 

 The bones of the jaws are rather feeble : the length of the posterior 

 processes of the intermaxillarics is about one-half of that of the 

 entire bone ; a projecting semicircular process at the posterior mar- 

 gin. The maxillary bone is concave posteriorly, and has the lower 

 posterior angle produced. The mandibulaiy bone has four or five 

 grooves beneath ; they are shallow, very small in front, and sejia- 

 rated from one another by broad bony interspaces : the anterior 

 part of the vomer is angular and slightly swollen, as in fishes with a 

 toothed vomer. The praeorbital is broad, triangular, with some small 

 irregular cavities ; the remainder of the infraorbital arch is very nar- 

 row, without an interior plate for supporting the eyeball from beneath. 

 The operculum has two very obtuse points, distant and separated from 

 each other by a deep and wide notch ; the sub- and interoperculum 

 are not denticulated, and have the lower margins sHghtly rounded ; 

 the Hmbs of the praeoperculum have a vertical direction towards 

 each other, but the angle at which they meet is rounded. The 

 posterior limb is deeply serrated, the inferior very indistinctly ; the 

 teeth above the angle are the strongest and spinous. The muci- 

 ferous channel of the praeoperculum has four narrow openings. 



There are eleven abdominal and sixteen caudal vertebrce, the 

 length of the former portion of the vertebral column being to that of 

 the latter as 1 : 1'5. The neural spines are slightly inclined back- 

 wards ; the haemals of the first four caudal vertebrte are lengthened, 

 and broad at their lower extremity, to receive the interhaemals. 

 The first interhaemal is strong, and as long as the first seven vertebrae 

 together. 



The dentition is composed of villiform bands only, the pharyngeal 

 teeth being rather stronger than those of the jaws. 



5. CONODON. 



Conodon, Cuv. 8f Vah v. p. 156. 



Body oblong ; muzzle with the jaws nearly equal in front. Two 

 dorsals, united by a low membrane ; the first with eleven strong 

 spines ; three strong anal spines. In each of the jaws an external 

 series of very stout, short, conical teeth. Praeoperculum denticu- 

 lated. Scales moderate. Pseudobranchiae ? Air-bladder with two 

 very short horns in front. 



Caribbean Sea. 



1. CoBodon plumieri. 



Scisena plumieri, Block, vi. p. 66. taf. 306. 



Perca plumieri, Bl. Schn. p. 85 ; Cm\ ^ Val. ii, p. 5L 



