152 TELEOSTEI: ACANTHOPTERI. — XX. 



each side ; preopercle with a very long rough spine ; opercle 

 small; isthmus very broad, scaly: gill rakers minute; mouth 

 small, with granular teeth in jaws only ; tail with 2 serrate, knife- 

 like appendages. Spinous D. short, its first spines free; an im- 

 movable spine between dorsals; C. small, lunate; P. divided to 

 base, the anterior part corresponding to the free rays in Triglidce, 

 of about 6 rays connected by membrane; the posterior part very 

 long (reaching C. in adult), the rays slender and simple; V. close 

 together, I, 4. Air bladder complex; vertebrae 9 -f- 13. Two 

 species in the warm seas, able to flutter for short distances in 

 the air. 



194. CEPHALACANTHUS Lacepede. («€^aX^ head; 



aKauOa, spine.) 

 a. Occiput without filament. 



422. C. volitans (L.). Flying Gurnard. Sea Robin. 

 Greenish and brown, mottled with orange or red, the belly usually 

 orange ; P. with blue streaks and spots ; C. with reddish bars. 

 Color very variable. Head 4J; depth 5^. D. II, IV -8. A. 6. 

 P. 28-6. L. 12. Atlantic, N. to Newf'd. (Eu.) (Lat., flying.) 



Family LXXVI. TRIG-LID^J. (The Gurnards.) 



Body subfusiform, covered with scales or bony plates; head 

 entirely covered with rough bones, most of them armed with 

 spines ; mouth moderate, with small teeth or none ; maxillary 

 simple; gills 4, a slit behind fourth; pseudobranchise present; 

 V. I, 5, wide apart, separated by a flat area. Spinous D. short; 

 A. without spines ; C. narrow. P. large, with broad base, the 

 2 or 3 lowermost rays detached from the rest and separate. Air 

 bladder present. Vertebra? about 24, as in nearly all tropical 

 fishes. Genera 5 ; species 40, in all warm seas, (rpiyka, old 

 name of Mullus.) 



a. Body scaly; teeth present on jaws, vomer and palatines; free P., rays 3. 



Prionotus, 195. 



195. PRIONOTUS Lacepede. Sea Robins. (tt/nW, saw; 



p£>tos, back.) 



a. Mouth rather small, the maxillary not h head; a cross-groove on top of 

 head behind eye; a black ocellated spot on spinous D. 



423. P. carolinus (L.). Body rather stout; preopercular spine 

 with no smaller one before it ; P. short, not \ body ; P. appendages 

 broadened at tip; gill rakers about 10; bones of head compara- 

 tively smooth. Olive, back with 4 dark cross-shades; pale oblique 

 streaks on 1st D. Head 3 ; depth 5. 1). X-13. A. 12. Lat. 1. 

 58 (pores). L. 12. Cape Ann to S. C. (S. occurs P. scitulus 

 J. & G., slender, with short head and spotted body.) 



