CATAPHRACTI. 



481 



SiPHAGONUS. — With the snout produced into a long tube 

 like a Syngnathus ; chin prominent, with a barbel. 

 From Behring's Strait and Japan. 



Peristethus. — Head parallelopiped, with the upper surface 

 and the sides entirely bony ; each prjeorbital prolonged into a long 

 flat process, projecting beyond the snout. Body cuirassed with 

 large bony j)lates. One continuous dorsal, or two dorsals, of which 

 the second is the more developed. Two free pectoral appendages. 

 Teeth none ; lower jaAv with barbels. 



Singularly shaped fishes, of rather small size, from the 

 Mediterranean, the warmer parts of the Atlantic, and the 

 Indian Ocean ; of the ten species known one species only has 

 been found in the Pacific, near the Sandwich Islands. The 

 European species is P. cataphr actum. They are not common, 

 and probably inhabit greater depths than the Gurnards, with 

 which they have much in common as regards their habits. 



Dactylopterus. — Head parallelopiped, with the upper surface 

 and the sides entirely bony ; scapula and angle of the praeoper- 

 culum produced into long spines. Body with strongly keeled 

 scales of moderate size ; lateral line none. Two dorsal fins, 



-Dactylopterus volitaus. 



the second not much longer than the first ; pectoral very long, 

 an organ of flying, with the upper portion detached and shorter. 

 Granular teeth in the jaws ; none on the palate. Air-bladder 

 divided into two lateral halves, each with a larger muscle. 



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