PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 425 



complete the series of developnieut between the small specimens de- 

 scribed by Giinther aud the adult forms. 



14. Histiophorus gracilirostris, Cuv. & Val. 



Histiophorus gracilirostris, Cuv. & Val. 1. c. p. 308 (tlcscriiition of a suout from 

 Seychelles). — Lutken, 11. c. 



Cuvier and Valenciennes had in their possession, and described, a 

 beak or spear the breadth of which was contained 25 to 26 times in its 

 length, and the sides of which were more rounded than in the other 

 specimens accessible to them. This was from Seychelles. Liitken is 

 inclined to admit this provisionally as a distinct species. Giinther, on 

 the other hand, ignores H. gracilirostris, but regards H. ancipitirostris 

 as a possibly existing form. 



15. Histiophorus ancipitirostris, Cnv. & Val. 



Histiophorus ancipitirostris, Cuv. & Val. op. cit. p. 309. — Gunther, op. cit. p. 

 512, note. 



A snout (locality unknown), having a flattened surface, its width con- 

 tained 19 or 20 times in its length, was the basis of Cnvier's descrip- 

 tion. Probably a species of TetrajJturus. 



16. Makaira nigricans, Lac6p. 



MalMira ni(/ricans, Lackffdf., Hist. Nat. Poiss. " iv, pp. 088,689, pi. xiii, fig. 



3".— Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss. viii, p. 287. 

 Xiphias nmlcaira, Shaw, Zool. iv, Fish. p. 104. 

 Maclmra velifcra, Cuvier, Nouv. Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. 1832, p. 43, pi. 3. — 



Lutken. 

 Xiphias velifcr, Guntiier, op. cit. p. 512. 



This species is undoubtedly mythical. Liitken and others have 

 pointed out the error of arranging it, as Giinther has done, with Xiphias. 

 He suggests that in the specimens described by Lacejiede the ventral 

 rays were hidden in the ventral furrow, and unperceived. In this case, 

 lie remarks, it would be identical with Histiophorus gracilirostris ; but, 

 at all eveuts, whether it has veutral fins or not, its right place is with 

 the subfamily Histiophorinw. 



The specimen described by Lacepede was never seen by him. It was 

 driven ashore near Eochelle, and his sole acquaintance with it was 

 from a drawing and description given him by M. Traversay, sous-prefet of 

 that town. It seems strange that so much stress has been laid upon 

 this description and so much discussion has been held over its true 

 classification. 



Descriptive notes on the American Sail-fish, Histiophorus 



GLADIS. 



Strqnge as it may seem, the American species of Histiophorus has 

 never been studied by an ichthyologist, and no attempt has ever been 

 made to describe it, or to compare it carefully with the similar species 



