[55] REVIEW OF THE SCIANIDZ&. 397 
rather slender and short, about 3 length of pupil. In most ofthe species 
of the other groups (Ophioscion, &c.) they are very few, short and 
thickish, usually not more than half the length of the pupil. The form 
of the body offers nothing which can be used for generic distinction, as 
the intergradations are very perfect. The same can be said of the 
form and the squamation of the fins. 
We may, however, recognize for convenience’ sake a number of sub- 
genera, all but one (Bola) of them being represented by species occurring 
within our limits. 
We think that there is no doubt that the generic name, Scicna, should 
go with Scicena umbra (the type of Corvina Cuvier), if the laws of nomen. 
clature followed by us be admitted. 
There are three members of the present family found in European 
waters. Two of these, cirrosa and wmbra, were known to Linneus and 
to Artedi, and on these the genus was primarily based. The third, aquila, 
was unknown to these authors, and could not therefore with any sort of 
propriety be taken as the type of a Linnean genus. The group was first 
knowingly subdivided by Cuvier in 1817. First separating cirrosa as 
the type of the genus Umbrina, he retains in Sciena proper (‘les Scié- 
nes proprement dites”) two species (‘ Sciena umbra L.” and “Sciena 
aquila nobis”). This is a perfectly proper arrangement, and of this 
genus, Scicna, as thus restricted by Cuvier, Sciena umbra must be re- 
garded as the type. ; 
Later, in 1829, this Sciena umbra was made the type of the new genus 
Corvina, as Corvina nigra Cuvier, while the non-Linnzan species “ aquila” 
was left as the type of Sciena. This arrangement has been followed by 
nearly all recent writers, but it is manifestly inadmissible, except to 
authors to whom, as to Cuvier, all laws of nomenclature are subordinate 
to personal caprice or convenience. 
Recently Dr. Bleeker has proposed to take, as the type of Scicna, 
the Umbrina cirrosa, because this is the’ species mentioned first by Ar- 
tedi. In the rules now generally followed, this matter of being placed 
first in the genus is not regarded as an element of any importance. 
The restriction proposed by Bleeker must therefore give way to the 
earlier one of Cuvier, and the name Sciwna must be regarded as syn- 
onymous with Corvina. There is the less to be regretted from the fact 
that Corvina has usually been regarded as a generic name for all Scix- 
noids with conspicuous anal spines, and members of a dozen different 
genera have been from time to time referred to it. 
ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF SCIZENA. 
a. Preopercle, with its bony margin armed with strong persistent spines, which do 
not disappear with age ; (caudal fin not lunate; soft 
dorsal and anal scaly; species of small size). (Ophi- 
oscion Gill.) 
b, Caudal fin convex or lanceolate, the middle rays longest, often nearly as long as 
head; soft dorsal with 16 to 23 rays; head low, the 
snout somewhat projecting, 
