284 



Mr. C. T. Regan on the 



the head is as Lroacl as deep; tlie spinous dorsal is repre- 

 sented only by the illiciuni, which is sliort, with a large 

 terminal transverse expansion, the whole folding back in a 

 naked area on the upper surface of the snont, the rest of the 

 fisii being spinulose; there is no gill on the first arch ; the 

 gill-openings are above and behind the base o£ the pectorals. 

 Garinan's figure (Mem. Mns. Oomp. Zool. xxiv. 1899, 

 pi. xvi.) shows that the vertebral column and pectoral arch 

 are Antennariid, but the opercles are notably broader. I 

 have ascertained that the interorbital portions of the frontals 

 are longer and less widely separated than in Antennarius, 

 and that the mesethmoid lies in front of instead of between 

 them (fig. 5,C). 



Fig. 5. 



V leti^ 



Skulls of A. Halieutea stellata, B. Antennarius mtinmifer, and 

 C. Chaimax pidus, seen from above (somewhat diagrammatic). 



Lettering as in preceding figures. 



Family 4. Onchocephalidae. 



]5ody spinate; mouth small or moderate, horizontal^ 

 terminal or subterminal, protractile downwards ; villiform 

 teeth in jaws and sometimes en palate ; gills 2 or 2^^ no 

 gill on the first arch ; gill-opening small, above base of 

 pectoral. Spinous dorsal re])resented by the illiciuni, which 

 has a very short stalk and broad tiansverse expansion, the 

 whole contained in a cavity on anterior surface of snout ; 

 soft dorsal and anal short, fev.'-rayed, posterior. Mesethmoid 

 ossified as an interorbital septum, but broadening out above 



