BATRACHIDiE. 467 



the southern extremity of South America, in New Zealand, 

 Kerguelen's Land, etc., is represented by about twenty species, 

 the body is covered with ctenoid scales, and the bones of the 

 head are unarmed ; whilst Harpagifer, a small species with 

 a similar range as Notothcnia, has the body naked, and the 

 operculum and svib-operculum armed with long and strong 

 spines. 



Ninth Family — Malacanthidj?. 



Body elongate, with very small scales; mouth with thick 

 lips ; a strong tooth posteriorly on the intermaxillary. Dorsal 

 and anal fins very long, the former with a few simple rays 

 anteriorly ; ventrals thoracic, with one spine and five rays. 

 Gill-opening wide, with the gill-memtranes united heloiv the 

 throat. Ten abdominal and foiirteen caudal vertetrce. 



One genus only, Malacanthns, with three sj^ecies from 

 tropical seas. 



Tenth Family — Batrachid^. 



Head hroad and thick ; hody elongate, compressed behind ; 

 skin naked or ivith small scales. No bony stay for the pra> 

 opercidum. Teeth conical, small or of moderate size. The 

 spinous dorsal consists of two or three spines only ; the soft a7id 

 the anal long. Ventrals jugular, ivith tivo soft rays ; pectorals 

 not pediculafed. Gill-opening a more or less vertical slit before 

 the pectoral, rather narroio. 



Carnivorous fishes, of small size, living on the bottom of 

 the sea near the coast in the tropical zone, some species 

 advancing into the warmer parts of the temperate zones. 



Batrachus. — The spinous dorsal is formed by three stout 

 spines. Gill-covers armed with spines. Circumference of the 

 mouth and other parts of the head frequently provided with 

 small skinny tentacles. 



Some of the fishes of this genus possess a subcutaneous 



