Families of Teleostean Fishes. 173 



view which is still upheld by Gill *. I now agree with this 

 high authority in regarding the bone which I took for an 

 infraclavicle as a much developed coracoid, and the bone 

 termed by me the coracoid as a pterygial. But it has also 

 been shown, by Starks, that such a tiling as an infraclavicle 

 does not exist even in the stickleback, the bone so-called 

 being only a part of the coracoid ; and as, in most of the 

 sticklebacks, the pelvic bones join the latter, the resemblance 

 between them and Lampris remains. As I have previously 

 pointed out, the absence of spines in the fins and the position 

 of the ventral fins, together with the great number of rays in 

 the latter, which is only met with in the lower Teleosteans, 

 are characters which necessitate the removal of Lampris from 

 the Acanthopterygians, and I cannot find a better place for 

 them than near the Grastrosteidye. 



The whole question of the arrangement of the Physoclists 

 with abdominal ventrals (Catosteomi and Percesoces) is, 1 

 feel, much in need of revision, and it may be found advisable 

 to break up this group into a greater number of suborders, in 

 which case the Selenichthyes would stand by themselves; 

 the Hemibranchii and Lophobranchii would be united under 

 the former name, as proposed by Woodward, or under that of 

 Thoracostei (Svvinnerton) or Phthinobranchii (Hay). 



Eleven families : — 



I. Prseoperculum and syrnplectic distinct; branchial apparatus fully 



developed, gills pectinate; mouth terminal, toothless; post- 

 temporal forked, free ; pelvic bones connected with scapular arch, 

 vertical fins with 15 to 17 rays ; ribs long, sessile ; fins without 

 spines. (Selenichthyes.) 1. Lamprididce. 



II. Prseoperculum and syrnplectic distinct, latter much elongate ; 



branchial apparatus more or less reduced, gills pectinated ; post- 

 temporal simple, immovable ; mouth terminal. (Hemibkanchii.) 

 A. Mouth toothed. 



1. Pelvic bones close to or connected with scapular arch ; spinous 

 dorsal represented by isolated spines. 



Snout conical or but slightly tubiform ; ventral 

 fins with one spine and one or two soft 

 rays ; ribs slender, free ; anterior vertebrae 

 not enlarged 2. Gastrosteidce. 



Snout tubiform ; ventral fins with one spine and 

 four soft rays ; ribs flattened, fused with 

 the lateral bony shields ; anterior vertebrae 

 not enlarged 3. Aulurhynchida. 



Snout tubiform ; ribs slender, free ; first ver- 

 tebra enlarged 4. Protosywjnathidce f. 



* Proc. U.S. Xat. Mas. xxvi. 1903, p. 915. 



