THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 229 
a long tube which terminates in the narrow mouth. This tube 
formed by symplectic, proethmoid, metapterygoid, mesoptery- 
goid, quadrate, palatines, vomer and mesethmoid. Both jaws, 
and usually vomer and palatines also with minute teeth. Mem- 
brane uniting bones of tube below very lax so that tube is 
capable of much dilation. Gill-membranes separate, free from 
isthmus. Gills 4, a slit behind fourth. Gill-rakers obsolete. 
Pseudobranchiz present. Basibranchial elements wanting. 
Branchiostegals 5 to 7. Pyloric coeca few. Intestine short. Air- 
vessel large. Post-temporal co-ossified with cranium. Pectoral 
ossicles 3. Interclavicles greatly lengthened. Supraclavicles very 
small. Vertebrz very numerous, first 4 very long. Body scale- 
less, but having bony plates present on various parts of body, 
mostly covered with skin. Spinous dorsal entirely absent. Soft 
dorsal short, posterior somewhat elevated. Anal fin opposite 
rayed dorsal and similar. Caudal forked, middle rays produced 
into a long filament. Pectorals small, with a broad base, preceded 
by a smooth area as in Gasterosteide. Ventrals very small, wide 
apart, abdominal, far in advance of dorsal, and composed of 6 
soft rays. 
Tropical fishes related to the sticklebacks in structure, but with 
prolonged snout and different ventral fins. A single species on 
our coast. 
Genus FistuLarta Linnzus. 
The Trumpet Fishes. 
Fistularia tabacaria Linne@us. 
Trumpet Fish. Pipe Fish. 
Head 2% ; depth of body about 2 in postocular region ; greatest 
width of body 1%; D. 16; A. 16; mandible 51/,, in head; snout 
1% in head measured from its own tip; maxillary 6% in snout; 
eye 71%; interorbital space 7% ; pectoral 5% ; length of depressed 
dorsal 3% ; of depressed anal 3% ; upper caudal lobe 434 ; length 
of caudal peduncle 17%; ventral 1% in eye. Body very long, 
slender, depressed. Head long, also depressed. Snout very long, 
