^"im"'] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL iMUSEUM. 237 



Lips thick; tbe lower divided at the chin by a wide fneuiim. 



TonyiiG well develoi»ed, thick, and sli^ditly free all around. 



Periorbitals concealed by the skin, enlarged, and peculiarly developed ; 

 first connected with the nasal, fourth widening and extending back- 

 wards to connect with a system of supraopercular bones, and succeeding 

 periorbitals (fifth, etc.) piocurrent to the orbits. 



Opercular apparatus well developed ; operculum a subtriangular Jara- 

 iuawithanantero-posterior internal rib (above which there is an expan- 

 sion to connect with a system of supraoi)ercular bones) and also with an 

 anterior inferior margiiial rib; suboperc2iIu»i and inter opercuhim. nor- 

 mally laminar; preoperculum normally bilaminar and crescentiform. 



Br anchiotr ernes (branchial apertures) ample, extending forwards and 

 with the branchiostegal membrane deeply incised. 



Branchiostegals seven ; the inner three attached to the inner side of 

 the ceratohyal, the rest outside, the outermost to the epihyal. 



Dorsalis double; the anterior fin rudimentary or very small and 

 separate; the posterior very long. 



Analis elongated, not shorter than the dorsal. 



Gauclalis distinct, with its external rays procurreut above and below 

 the caudal jieduncle. 



Pectorales moderately developed. 



Ventrales anterior, separated by a quite wide interval, narrow, but 

 with about seven rays each. 



The skeleton exhibits all the characteristics of a typical Gadoidean* 

 and the principal modifications consist of the lateral extension of the 

 cranium, and especially the prefrontal and pterotic, and modifications 

 of the suspensorium and pelvis. 



The hyomandibular is especially distinguished by its development at 

 almost a right angle with the metapterygoid and its extension forwards 

 considerably beyond the quadrate, as well as forthe oblique trend of the 

 large fenestra for the posterior branch of the facial nerve. The fen- 

 estra for the anterior branch of the facial nerve is concealed from direct 

 observation by the i>reoperculum, the symplectic being pushed back- 

 wards. The metapterygoid alone intervenes between the hyomandi- 

 bular and thf <piadrate. The rel ition of the hyomandibular, quadrate, 

 symplectic and metapterygoid to each other and the neighboring l)om'S, 

 in fact, contrast strongly with those of any true Gadid known to me, 

 and are probably co-ordinates of the abbreviation of the cranium. 



The j>e/.yic bones are reduced by the attenuation of its limbs; the ar- 

 ticular portion is narrow but well defined, the interno posterior exten 

 sion or limb rod-like and short, and the interno-anterior extension or 

 limb longer and oar-like. 



There is but one genus, so far as known, whi(;h appears to belong to 



*Gadoidea Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc, Phila., 1884, p. 170. 



