Glassijication oj the Order Scleroparei. 177 



Family 1. HexagrammidaB. 



The head-skeleton and pectoral arch are much as in the 

 Scorp[eiiicU\3, except that the parasphenoid wiiif^s meet the 

 alispheiioids. The skull is not depressed, a basisphenoid is 

 present, the second suborbital reaches the prajoperculum. 

 Vertebrae in Agrammus 19 + 29, llexagrammus 21 + 33^ 

 Ophiodon2d -\-Z^, and Zaniolepis 14 4-28. In Ilexagrammus 

 octogrammus I find that the hypercoracoid and hypocoracoid 

 are well separated by cartilaoe, external to which a wing of 

 the cleithrum reaches the middle radials ; in the other genera 

 the pectoral arch is as in normal Scorpaenids. 



Tlie gill-membranes are £ree, and there is but a single 

 nostril on each side. 



Family 2. Anoplopomatida. 



In Anojilopoma the parasphenoid does not meet the ali- 

 sphenoids, there is no basisphenoid, the skull is depressed, 

 the second suborbital does not reach the prseoperculum, the 

 gill-membranes are joined to the isthmus, and there are two 

 nostrils on each side. Vertebrae 64 (32 + 32). 



Division 3. Platycephaliformes. 

 Family PlatyceplialidaB. 



In the head-skeleton Platycephalus differs from the 

 Scorpsenidse only in the depressed skull, with the parasphenoid 

 meeting alisphenoids and frontals, and the basispiienoid 

 apparently absent. The vertebral column has 11 + 16 

 vertebrae; the ribs are attached to the under surfaces of 

 sessile epipleurals at some distance from the centra. The 

 pectoral arch is Scorpaenid, except that the radials are short 

 squarish plates ; the coracoids are broad (fig. 3, B). Bern- 

 bras has the head less depressed and the pelvic fins further 

 forward than Flatijcephalus, but is essentially similar in 

 other characters ; I have examined the pectoral arch of a 

 stuflfed specimen, which is exactly like that of Vlatycephalus, 



Division 4. IIoplichthtiformes. 



Family Hoplichthyidae. 

 Externally HopUchthys and Platycephalus have little in 



