XXIII ACANTHOPTERYGII 7O5 
ranean, and West Africa north of the Equator. A fossil species 
has been described from the Upper Miocene of Croatia. The 
two British species, 7. draco and 7. vipera, are well known for 
the painful wounds which they are able to inflict through their 
sharp, grooved dorsal and opercular spines, which convey a very 
active poisonous fluid secreted by small glands at their base. As 
these fish like to bury themselves partially in the sands in shallow 
water, people bathing occasionally tread on them with, as a rule, 
at least violent pain as a result." The flesh is not bad eating, 
and great numbers of the larger species (7. draco), are brought 
to the Paris market. 
Fam. 2. Percophiidae.—Percophis, with a single species from 
the coast of Brazil, differs from the Trachinidae in the scapular 
fenestra being situated entirely in the scapula, in the ventral 
fins being rather widely separated at the base, and in the 
quincuncial disposition of the scales. Vertebrae, 57 (22+ 35). 
Bleekeria and EHmbolichthys, from the Indian and Japanese seas, 
with the ventral fins rudimentary or absent, which have been 
placed in the Ammodytidae, appear to be related to Percophis. 
Fam. 3. Leptoscopidae.—Differ from the preceding in the 
absence of a subocular shelf. Scapular fenestra either in the 
scapula or between the scapula and the coracoid. Mostly Marine 
Fishes, various in form, from the tropics to the Antarctic circle, 
some occurring at great depths. About 25 species, referable to 7 
genera: Leptoscopus, Parapercis, Neopercis, Pteropsaron, Bembrops, 
Pleuragramma, Chimarrhichthys. The latter, from New Zealand, 
is the only freshwater form of the family, and is remarkably 
adapted for living in alpine torrents. Plewragramma antarcticwm, 
brought home by the Southern Cross Expedition, comes from 
78° 35’ S. lat., the farthest point at which fishes have yet been 
obtained in the Antarctic region. Muacrius amissus, from the 
Pacific Ocean at a depth of 1000 fathoms, which, judging from 
a very imperfect description, probably belongs to this family, 
measures 5 feet, and is the largest known deep-sea Teleostean. 
Fam. 4. Nototheniidae.— Also closely allied to the Trachin- 
idae. Nosubocular shelf; a single nostril on each side; ventrals 
1 Cf. Allman, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. vi. 1841, p. 161; Schmidt, Nord. Med. Ark. 
vi. No, 2, 1875 ; Gressin, Contribution a Vétude de Vappareil a venin chez les Poissons 
du genre Vive (Paris, 1884, 8vo); W. N. Parker, P.Z.S. 1888, p. 359 ; Phisalix, 
Bull. Mus. Paris, 1899, p. 256. a 
VOL. VII 2 Z 
