;i40 I'lilSTIl'U.MAI'lD.l.. 



1 . Gerres plumieri. 



Ciir. .y Vol. vi. p. 45-2. pi. 1(57. 



D^ A.— L. lat. ;^7. L. transv. 6/11. Vert. 10/14. 



10 7-8 



The height of tne body is 21 in the total length (without caudal 

 tin). Prtcorbital serrated; the second dorsal and anal spines ex- 

 ceedingly strong and long ; the former slightly longer, nearly as long 

 as the head. Silvery, ^N-ith more or less distinct longitudinal stnp(>s 

 corresi)onding to the series of scales ; dorsal generally lilackislu 



Atlantic coasts of Tropical America. 



a. Fine specimen. S. Domingo. Purchased of Mr. Cuming. 



b. Skeleton. S. Domingo. Purchased of Mr. Cuming. 



c. Fine specimen. Central America. From M. Salle's Collection. 

 (/. Adult. Guatemala. Purchased of Mr. Frank. 



e. Adult. Pernambuco. Presented by J. P. G. Smith, E.sq. 

 /. Adult, lialiia. Purchased of M. Parzudaki. 

 g, h. Half-gi-own and young : skins. South America. From Dr. 

 Parnell's CoUecticm. 



Air-hladiler simple. 



Skeleton. — The skull of Gerres exhibits several jjoculiarities liy 

 which it may be distinguished from any other: they are — the high, 

 triangular occipital crest, with a deep groove in front, to receive two 

 very elongate processes of the intermaxillary bones, the jjcculiar 

 shape of the jaws, and the broad and strong pubic bones. The max- 

 illary bone has a somewhat irregular form, is slightly curved, and 

 has a broad shallow groove along its upper and posterior margin. 

 The front part of the intermaxillary bones is broad and slightly 

 excavated, not unlike the upper jaw of some Tortoises ; the pos- 

 terior processes are veiy slender, flexible, and extend backwards into 

 a groove of the occipital crest situated on the posterior half of the 

 frontal bones ; the descending branch of the intermaxillary also is 

 rather irregularly foi'mcd and bent. The mandibula has tlie inferior 

 margin slightly concave ; the front part of the dentary is rather flat 

 and hoiizoutal, whilst the posterior part, together -with the adjacent 

 portion of the articulary, forms a high and elevated ridge. The tui-- 

 binal bones are very tlongate. irregularly bent, and transformed into 

 a half-channel. The praH)rbital is triangular, broadest anteriorly, 

 and with the infeiior margin distinctly serrated; the infraorbital 

 arch, like the posterior part of the pra^orbital, is narrow, and without an 

 interior plate. The head of the vomer forms an angular prominence, 

 but without any teeth ; the palatine bones are deeply grooved. The 

 posterior margin of the pra^operculum is nearly straight and minutely 

 serrated ; the angle is rounded, and armed with equal and coar.se 

 denticulations ; the lower margin is straight and very distinctly ser- 

 rated. The operculum is twice as deep as long, five-sided, with the 

 posterior side slightly emarginate, and without prominent points ; its 

 inferior angle is veiy acute. The sub- and interoperculum are very 

 thin; thfir inferior margins are entire, and form together a ve.y 



