VERTEBRATE ANIMALS OP SOUTH CAROLINA. 253 



ORDER LOPHOBRANCHII. 



Fishes with tufted gills and small toothless mouths, bounded above by 

 the premaxillary bones and carried at the end of a long snout. The 

 l)asis of the pectoral fins are elevated, and the skin is covered with bony 

 plates. 



Small fishes of peculiar form and curious and interesting habits. Six 

 species representing two families occur in North American waters. 

 Fishes of the sea and brackish waters. 



HIPPOCAMPID^. 



FLORIDA SEA-HORSE. Hippocampus stylifer, J. and G. 

 SEA-HORSE. Hippocampus heptagonus, Raf. 



SYNGNATHID.E. 

 LOUISIANA PIPE-FISH. Siphostoma louisianse. (Glinther) J. and G. 



ORDER SYNENTOGNATHI. SYNENTOGNATHOUS FISHES. 



Fishes in which the shoulder-blade is connected with the skull by 

 means of a post-temporal bone. The parietal bone of the skull is very 

 small. The ventral fins are abdominal, and, as in the case of the others, 

 are without spines. » 



This order includes but a single family, the Scomber cscidse, or Flying- 

 fishes and Gar-fishes. They have peculiar elongated mouths, and are 

 carnivorous. The family is represented in North America by seventeen 

 species. Marine fishes. The flying-fishes have attracted much attention 

 on account of their curious aerial performances. They are able to sus- 

 tain themselves in the air for about a minute at a time, during which 

 period they vibrate their " wings " or pectoral fins, and move with great 

 rapidity. At such times they are fleeing from their aquatic enemies. 



SCOMBERESOCID^E. 



FLYING FISH. Exoccetus novaboracensis, Mitchill. 

 FLYING FISH. Exoccetus hiUianus, Gosse. 

 HALF-BEAK. Himrliamplius unifasciatus, Ranzani. 



