246 MEMOIRS OF THE CARNEGIE MUSEUM. 
In our judgment, the Caristiide compose a family distinct from the Ptera- 
clide, their nearest relatives, and from the Bramide to which both are allied. The 
apparent differences between Caristius and related genera may be thus indicated: 
Family PTERACLID. 
Dorsal very high, beginning on head, continuous, its rays all simple; anal similar, beginning far 
forward, almost as long as dorsal; ventrals jugular, small, inserted below the eye. Scales firm, lobate. 
Vertical fins with a basal sheath of scales. 
Pteraclis Gronow (velifera).* 
Centropholis Hilgendorf (petersi). 
Dorsal with 10 to 13 graduated rays; ventral rays, 1, 5; anal very high, its first long ray reaching 
to end of base of fin. 
Pterycombus Fries (brama). 
As in Pteraclis, but the anal lower, the first long ray of anal reaching only to middle of fin. 
Bentenia Jordan and Snyder (asticola). 
Essentially as in Pteraclis, but with the fifth dorsal and second anal ray much enlarged. Ventrals 
very short, under the eye. 
Family CARISTIID &. 
Anal beginning near middle of body; ventrals jugular, but behind eye. Scales small, caducous. 
Caristius Gill and Smith (japonicus). 
Family BRAMID/). 
Characters included above. 
The Bramide differ in the hard scales, and in the backward insertion of the dorsal which is low 
and behind the head. Anal moderate, inserted below middle of body. 
Family VELIFERID. 
The Veliferide (Vilifer Schlegel), (hypselopterus), have the fins much as in Caristius, but the mouth 
is wholly different, and the family has no relation to Caristius or to Pteraclis. 
Family PEMPHERID. 
119. Pempheris japonicus Déderlein. 
Misaki, No. 6176a. 
Family CHEILODIPTERID®. 
120. Amia sialis, sp. nov. (Plate XXVIII, fig. 2). 
The following is a description of the type, No. 6021, C. M. Cat. of Fishes, 
a specimen 123 mm. in total length, coming from Suruga Bay, Japan. 
Dorsal VII-I, 9; anal II, 8; seales in lateral line 25; in transverse series 10; 
head 2.6 in body-length to base of caudal; depth 2.4; eye 3.75 in head; depth of 
caudal peduncle 2.5 in head; gill-rakers 5+13. 
Body deep, nearly equal in depth to length of head; maxillary reaching to below 
* Pleraclis ocellatus Cuvier and Valenciennes, with but two graduated rays in the dorsal and the ven- 
trals I, 3, if these characters are exact, belongs to a different genus. It is probably, however, a true Pteraclis. 
