376 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
in front. Anal inserted a trifle before origin of rayed dorsal. 
higher posteriorly, and margin deeply notched. Caudal rounded, 
median rays longest. Pectoral long, reaching base of second 
anal ray. Ventral inserted midway between tip of mandible and 
origin of anal, reaching */; to anal. Color brownish, variegated 
and marbled darker. Length 14 inches. Beesley’s Point. 
A large fish of singular appearance, known from our coast 
only at the above locality from 2 examples taken many years ago 
by Samuel Ashmead. 
Hemutripterus americanus Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 816. 
Family AGONIDE. 
The Alligator Fishes. 
Body angular, commonly 8-angled. Caudal peduncle 6-angled, 
covered with 8 to 12 longitudinal rows of imbricated radially 
striated plates. Anterior edge of each plate next in front of it, 
and plates spinous or not. ‘Teeth small, even, in villiform bands 
on jaws, and in most species on vomer and palatines, sometimes 
wholly obsolete. Gills 3%, no slit behind last. Gill-membranes 
united,*free or joined to isthmus. Gill-rakers small. Pseudo- 
branchiz large, extending down on inner side of opercle. Branch- 
iostegal rays 6. Myodome with membranaceous roof. Basisphe- 
noid absent. Post-temporal not bifurcate continuously, articu- 
lated with epiotic and pterotic. Pyloric cceca few, about 4 to 7. 
Vertebree numerous, 35 to 50. Spinous dorsal large, small, or 
absent. Anal without spines. Caudal rounded, about 3 times as 
long as wide at base, with 10 to 12 long rays. Base of pectorals 
usually broad, lower rays sometimes produced. All rays of fins 
simple. Ventrals thoracic, narrow, their rays I, 2. Vent usually 
close behind ventrals. 
Fishes of the cold seas, living among rocks and kelp, most of 
small size and fantastic form, and not valued as food. One spe- 
cies recorded from our coast. 
