Storer's Synopsis of the Fishes of jyorth JJmerica. 65 



waves, and sometimes in tolerably well defined vertical bands. Abdomen silvery. 1 

 dorsal spines, three of which are free. 



D. (?). P. (?) V. (?) A. (?). C. (?). Lenglh, 1J inches. 



Connecticut, Ayres. 



Gasterosteus millepunctatus, Ayres, Boat. Journ. Nat Hisl , iv p 294, p] 12, fig. 13. 



GENUS XIII. TEMNISTIA, Richardson. 



It has much resemblance, in external form, to Hemilepidotus and Scor- 

 paena. It is separated from the former by its body being wholly scaly, and by 

 the presence of barbels on the head ; and from the latter, by having only five 

 gill-rays and a three-lobed dorsal. The want of scales on the head distin- 

 guishes it from Sebastes, and its habit, which is very unlike that of a Blenny, 

 its long pectorals and scaly body, detach it from Blepsias. 



I. Temnistia ventricosa, Rrcn. 



Brown, with darker spots, and four transverse broad, waved, red hands. Belly white, 

 studded laterally with brown spots. Abdomen greatly inflated, pendulous and hemispherical. 

 Dorsal fin notched anterior to t he twelfth ray by the gradual decrease of the six preceding 

 rays. Another hut less decided notch at the third ray, the membrane of which readies only 

 to the middle of the following ray. 



B.5. D.31. P. 16. V.5. A. 16. C. 11|. Length, (>). 



Northwest Const of America, Richardson. 



Temnistia ventricosa, Northwest Nolchfin, Rich., Fauna Boreal. Americ, m. p. 59. 



FAMILY III. SCIENIDiE. 



Is very similar to that of the Percoides, and presents nearly all the same com- 

 binations of exterior character, especially the denticulations of the preoper- 

 culum, and the spines of the operculum ; but it has no teeth, either on the 

 vomer or palatines ; in general, the bones of the cranium and face are 

 cavernous, and form a snout more or less rounded. It often occurs in this 

 family that the vertical fins are rather scaly. Some of the genera of this 

 family have two dorsals, others but one. 



52 



