SYNODONTID.E. XXXIL 75 



Cape Cod to Texas, common S. (To Prof. Samuel Latham Mitch- 

 ill, of New York, an early ichthyologist.) 

 bb. Anal fin moderate, its rays about 20, its base 4f in body. 



177. S. browni (Gmelin). Snout pointed, considerably pro- 

 jecting ; belly somewhat serrated ; eye 3^ in head ; teeth in both 

 jaws. Translucent, silvery band ; sharply defined, about as broad 

 as eye. Head 3f; depth 4f. D. 15. A. 20. Lat. 1. 40. L. 6. Cape 

 Cod to Brazil, exceedingly abundant S. (To Mr. P. Browne, 

 author of Nat. Hist, of Jamaica, in 1756.) 



aa. Body elongate, less compressed, the depth less than one-fifth the length ; 

 insertion of D. midway between snout and C. 



178. S. argyrophanus (Cuv. & Val.). Tail long and slender; 

 snout pointed, projecting; belly not serrated ; eye 4 in head; teeth 

 in jaws present, feeble ; anal short, its base 5 in body ; silvery 

 lateral band broad, diffuse, broader than eye. Head 3^ ; depth 6. 

 D. 14. A. 19. L. 4. Wood's Holl, Mass., and S. (S. eurystole 

 Swain & Meek.) (apyvpos, silver ; <paiva>, to show.) 



FAMILY XXXIL SYNODONTID^J. (THE LIZARD-FISHES.) 



Body elongate, subterete, covered with cycloid scales; head de- 

 pressed ; mouth very wide, its margin formed by the slender pre- 

 maxillaries ; the maxillaries closely joined to them ; teeth usually 

 strong, cardiform, the large ones often depressible ; no barbels ; 

 sides of head usually scaly ; adipose fin usually present ; D. short, 

 median; C. forked. Air-bladder small or wanting ; skeleton weakly 

 ossified; no phosphorescent spots. Ovaries with an oviduct. 

 Genera 6 or 8 ; species about 25, mostly of deep waters in warm 

 regions. (More or less related to this family are several others : 

 Stomiatidce, Scopelidce, Cliauliodontidce, etc., found in the deep 

 waters off our coasts. Most of these deep-sea forms are provided 

 with phosphorescent spots. A very full account of them has been 

 lately published by Dr. Gunther, Deep-sea Fishes of the Chal- 

 lenger Exped.) 



a. Teeth not barbed ; maxillary not dilated behind ; teeth on palatines in a 

 single band on each side ; shore-fishes SYNODUS, 77. 



77. SYNODUS (Gronow) Bloch & Schneider. 

 (o-wodovs, ancient name of some fish). 



179. S. fcetens (L.). LIZARD-FISH. SNAKE-FISH. Dorsal 

 slightly higher than long; snout longer than broad; lower jaw in- 

 cluded ; scales of cheeks in 7 rows ; ventrals 2|- in head. Olivaceous, 

 back mottled ; top of head vermiculated ; V. and mouth yellow. 

 Head 4^ ; depth 6 or 7. D. 11. A. 11. Scales 4-64-6. L. 12. 

 Cape Cod to Fla., on sandy coasts. (Lat., ill-scented.) 



