FISHES OF NEW YORK 601 



bony bucklers which are armed each with a central spine hooked 

 backward and marked with radiating ridges; seven bucklers 

 along the base of the dorsal, the fifth and sixth largest, these 

 located under the fifth to the 19th dorsal ray; two on the median 

 line in front of the ventrals, the second larger, as long as the 

 eye; about eight plates between ventrals and anal origin, and 

 five along base of anal. Dorsal spines stout and long, the first 

 four or five filamentous, the second longest, equal to total length 

 without the head and the caudal fin; the base of the fin five 

 sixths as long as the head. Soft dorsal base a little longer, as 

 long as the head; the rays short, the longest, near the end of 

 the fin, equal to diameter of eye. Caudal fin short, rounded, the 

 middle rays as long as the postorbital part of head. Pectoral 

 short, about as long as snout. Ventrals long, nearly as long as 

 the head, and almost reaching to the anal origin. Anal long, 

 one half of total length without caudal, the spinous and soft 

 portions scarcely connected; the first spine longest, one and 

 one half times as long as the third, and one fifth as long as the 

 head; the longest anal ray nearly one third as long as the head. 

 D. X, 24; A. Ill, 24; V. I, 5; P. 12. 



Color silvery, nearly plain; a black lateral ocellated spot in 

 life, disappearing in spirits. 



Of this pelagic species only one specimen is known; this was 

 taken off Provincetown Mass, and presented to the museum of 

 the Boston Society of Natural History by Capt. N. E. Atwood. 



Suborder SQUAMIPIXNES 

 Scaly Fins 



Family EFH[iF > F > iDAEi 



Spadefishes 



Genus CHAETODIPTERUS Lacpede 



Body much elevated and compressed, its outline nearly orbic- 

 ular, the anterior profile nearly vertical. Scales small, 55 to 

 70 in the course of the lateral line. Jaws about equal; no teeth 

 on vomer or palatines; teeth on jaws slender, somewhat mov- 

 able; preopercle finely serrulate. Branchiostegals six. Dorsal 

 fins two, somewhat connected, the first of usually nine spines, 



