Storefs Synopsis of the Fishes of A'orth America. !'i I 



stria™. The lateral projections of the snout are prominent, and margined with very strong 

 crenulations, which are longer than in either of the species contained in Cuvier's " Histoire 

 Naturelle des Poissons." Two distinct spines at the anterior superior angle of the eye. 

 Opercular spine of moderate size, not elevated at its base above the opercular plate. Pre- 

 opercular spine large, naked at its posterior extremity, raised and crenulated along its whole 

 outer edge. Length of the head equal to one fourth the length of the body. Length of the 

 pectoral fins equal to nearly one third the length of the head. The caudal fin is quite deeply 

 emarginated ; the outermost rays projecting. 



D. 10-13- P. 13. V. 6. A. 12. C 12|. Length, 12 inches. 



Massachusetts Bay, Storer. 



Prionotus pilatus, Stoker, Proceed. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., n p. 77. 



GENUS ARGYREIOSUS, Lacep. 



3. Argyreiosus unimaculatus, Batchelder. 



Body nearly circular, much compressed, being less than one tenth of an inch in thickness. 

 Breadth, one and one tenth inches. Profile nearly vertical. Lower jaw the longer, and 

 hooked. Eves one tenth of an inch in diameter. A filament, half an inch in length, 

 arises on the back in a vertical plane with the origin of the pectoral fin ; three tenths of an 

 inch back of this are three very minute spines. Several finlets upon the back and abdomen. 

 Pectoral fins three-tenths of an inch long ; caudal fin deeply forked. 



Preserved in spirit, above the lateral line the color is dark ; below it, silvery. Upon the 

 lateral line, which passes in nearly a right line from the superior angle of the gill-covers to 

 the base of the caudal rays, is a nearly circular black spot, the anterior edge of which is just 

 touched by the pectoral fin when depressed. 



D. (?). P. 16. V. (?). A. (?). C. 14. Length, ljo inches to the base of the caudal fin. 



Maine, Batchelder. 



iosus unimaculatua, Batchelder, Proceed. Boat. Soc. Nai. Hiat., n. p. 73. 



GENUS LEPTOCEPHALUS, Pennant. 



Have the cleft of the gills open in front of the pectorals, and the body 

 compressed like a riband. Their head is extremely small, with a short and 

 rather pointed muzzle, the pectorals almost imperceptible or actually wanting ; 

 the dorsal and anal in like manner scarcely visible, united together at the point 

 of the tail ; the intestines occupy only an extremely narrow line along the in- 

 ferior edge. 



