164 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 
GENUS CHIRONECTES. Cuvier. 
Head vertically compressed. Three free rays on the summut of the head. Mouth cleft more 
or less vertically ; opening to the gill by a round aperture behind the pectorals. Tongue 
edentate. Intermawillaries, lower jaw, vomer, palatines and pharyngeals with minute card 
teeth. Dorsal long. 
Oxs. This genus was first indicated by Commerson under the name of Antennarius, but 
separated from Lophius, and finally established in 1816 under its present name by Cuvier. 
This group is composed of small species, many of which are found swimming among sea- 
weed. MM. Cuvier and Valenciennes have described twenty-four species, beside indications 
of others which are not yet sufficiently determined. ‘The species are all closely allied, and 
possibly varieties have been mistaken for species. 
THE GIBBOUS MOUSE-FISH. 
Arun Gubhba 
Ue il Discs Fey CHIRONECTES GIBBUS. 
PLATE XXIV. FIG. 74.— (CABINET OF THE LYCEUM.) 
The Mouse-fish, L. gibbus. MutcHiut, Lit. and Philos. Soc. Vol. 1, pl. 4, fig. 9, (no description.) 
L. id., The Mouse-fish. Ip. Am. Month. Mag. Vol. 2, p. 325. 
Characteristics. Surface of the body granulate. Tail rounded, with concentric bars. Poste- 
rior portion of the dorsal fin rounded. Length 2 inches. 
Description. Body compressed, thickest about the pectorals; greatest depth half of the 
total length. Body minutely granulate, and with short distant flattened filaments distributed 
irregularly over it. In some instances, they are replaced by small rounded elevated tubercles. 
The course of the lateral line is represented by a series of pores ; this series is highly curved 
above the pectorals, descending rapidly to the middle of the body, and then going off straight 
to the tail. On the anterior part of the head, and between the eyes, is a cylindrical soft ray 
0°25 long, covered with numerous cuticular processes; and at the base, a slender filament 
enlarged at its tip. Behind and above this are two other soft rays, enveloped in a common 
granular membrane; the summit of the first is bifid, terminating in two flattened processes. 
Eyes apparently very small, and near the mouth. Mouth nearly vertical, with minute teeth 
inthe jaws. ‘Tongue smooth. Chin and throat with numerous distant cuticular processes. 
Branchial aperture small and rounded underneath, and attached to the base of the pectorals. 
The dorsal fin of twelve soft and feebly branched rays; longer than high, commencing over 
the pectorals, and coterminal with the anal. Pectorals with ten subequal rays. Ventrals 
before the pectorals, elongated, horizontal, contiguous, and with five rays. The anal fin 
commences under the eighth dorsal ray, rounded on its margin, higher than long, and com- 
posed of one simple and six bifid rays. Caudal fin expanded, much rounded, and containing 
but nine rays. 
