''^im"'] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 369 



coming off almost as well as the membraue bones. The separate bones 

 are as well differentiated as in an ordinary fish, although certainly not 

 readily distinguishable in a shrunken skull. In other words, the various 

 bones are entirely distinct and do not coalesce, although from their way 

 of overlapping and meeting, the sutures are frequently quite obscure. 



The anterior portion of the infraorbital ring is well developed, and appears to be 

 membrauaceons posteriorly. 



Nothing is said of the enlarged lamelliform third infraorbital or 

 " stay," although it is very conspicuous, and developed as in the illus- 

 tration herewith published. 



The humerus is long, and composed of two broad lamellae ; the pectoral rays are 

 joined to a long series of six carpal bones, the series extending nearly to the lower end 

 of the humerus. 



The humerus, or proscapula, is morphologically developed as in the 

 Cottoidea. In the " six cari)al bcmes " are confounded the normal num- 

 ber (four) and the hypercoracoid as well as hypocoracoid. In other 

 words, there is no anomalous morphological deviation from ordinary 

 fishes, but a close resemblance to the Cottoidea. 



There are thirteen abdominal and fifteen caudal vertebraB ... ; only the last ab- 

 dominal and the first caudal vertebne have short and feeble ribs attached to their 

 neural spines. 



In the skeleton now before me there are twenty-nine vertebrae (includ- 

 ing the last semivertebra), which are separable into ten abdominal ver- 

 tebra} and nineteen caudal — i. e., bearing haemal spines. The eighth to 

 the twentieth bear slender ribs on their centra near the lower edges or on 

 their liwmal spines. 



The entire skeleton of Oyclopterus is so peculiar in some respects and 

 yet morphologically so similar to that of an ordinary cottoidean fish 

 that it would well repay a detailed and critical study. As my only ob- 

 ject at present is to point out the characters and relations of the includ- 

 ing groups I refrain from further notice, and indeed the want of fresh 

 material would deter me from such a study. It may be hoped that so 

 interesting as well as common a fish may receive attention from some 

 one or other of the numerous zoological stations now existing in Europe. 

 Fresh specimens are indispensable for a successful investigation of its 

 skeleton. It is with reluctance that I submit herewith the accompany- 

 ing illustrations. The skeleton figured, although preserved in alcohol, 

 collapsed when in the artist's possession, so that the illustrations will 

 be found to disagree with fresh specimens. The chief use of the pres- 

 ent illustrations will be to demonstrate that the type is a true mail- 

 cheeked fish and that there is no myodome. 



The most noteworthy illustrations of the skeleton of Cyclopterus are 

 three, viz : 



Cyclopterus lumpus Rosenthal, Tab. Ich. (Icb. Tafeln.), pi. 19, f. 1, 1812-2-2. 

 Cyclopterus lumpus Rathke, Archiv f. Phys., v. 7, pp. 498-524, pi. 6, f. 1-4, 6 (ven- 



trals), f. 5 (P.), f.7 (branchiost.1, f. 8-11 (vert.). 

 Cyclopterus lumpus Borckert, Anat.-phys. Unt. Haftscheibe C. lumpus,pp. 7-34, pi, 1 

 (sucker and scap. arch), 1889. 



Proc, N. M. 90 24 



