172 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 39. 



and very narrow and sharply carinated between interorbital region 

 and supraoccipital. 



Adinosts (second and third) almost square and not constricted 

 at middle. 



ANARRmCHTHYS OCELLATUS. 



Anarrhiclias felts Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., vol. 7, 1854, p. 150. (Not 



described.) 

 Anarrhichthys ocellatus Ayres, Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci., vol. 1, 1855, p. 31. (San 



Francisco.) 

 Anarrhichthys felis Girard, Expl. and Surv. for R. R. route to Pacific Ocean, 



vol. 10, Fishes, 1856, p. 125, pi. 25a, figs. 1-3. 



Pacific coast, North America, from Alaksa to Monterey. 



A "description of the skull and separate cranial bones'* of the 

 Wolf-eel {Anarrhiclithys ocellatusY' has been published by L. A. 

 Adams in the Kansas University Science Bulletin (vol. 4, Sept., 1908, 

 pp. 331-355) and is illustrated by 12 excellent plates (25-36). 



PART 2. 



HABITS OF THE WOLFFISHES. 



One of the most remarkable fishes of the northern Atlantic is that 

 known as the wolffish, or, in common with many other very different 

 species, as the catfish. Wolffish, as the only distinctive name, naturally 

 has been adopted in most works on fishes. Many data respecting 

 its life history have been obtained in recent years, but above all by 

 the investigators connected with the "Fishery Board for Scotland." 

 Such are scattered through many volumes and are for the first time 

 collected in the present article. 



The technical name of the wolffishes (Anarrhiclias) is the result of 

 a singular misconception. Konrad Gesner received a specimen from 

 the German Ocean and was told (or thought he was told) that the 

 fish climbed out of the water on the rocks; consequently he devised 

 for it the name AnarrJdcJias (1560) from the Greek verb dvappcxdaOac 

 (anarrhichasthai) , to clamber or scramble up. As this name was 

 retained by Linnaeus it must be retained by us, inapplicable as it is. 



The most common vernacular names are wolffish and catfish. 

 Wolfish is given with reference to its enlarged pointed front teeth 

 and savage disposition and is the one adopted in most works on fishes. 

 Catfish (given partly with reference to the teeth and partly in allusion 

 " to the somewhat cat-like form of its large rounded head ") is likewise 

 in quite general use — more than wolffish, indeed — especially along 

 the eastern coast of Scotland and the New England coast (Massachu- 

 setts, etc.). Seawolf arad seacat in some localities are used instead. 



« The opercular, branchiostegal and branchial systems are not described or figured. 



