196 Mr. C. T. Regan on the 



raUnurus, Dckav, Zool. N. York, iv. p. 118 (1842). 

 l[iiprro(ihii>iu; (Uiuther, Cat. i. p. 337 (1859). 

 r'almunchtlini^, (iill, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1860, p. 20, 

 ravimelas, Oiiiither, Cat. ii. p. 485 (1800). 



Body ovate or oblong-ovate, compressed ; mouth small or 

 moderate ; palate without teeth ; premaxillaries slightly pro- 

 tractile ; maxillary more or less exposed, with small supple- 

 mental bone. Upper surface of head with a spongy porous 

 integument ; praeoperculum generally distinctly spinate, sub- 

 and interopercles denticulated. Five to seven branchiostegals ; 

 pscudobranchiffi present ; gill. membranes not united ; gill- 

 rakers long. Scales small ; lateral line curved anteriorly, 

 becoming straight before reaching the caudal peduncle. 

 Dorsal with IV-IX 19-46 rays. Anal with III 16-27 rays. 

 Pectorals with 19-22 rays. Caudal forked or emarginate. 

 Vertebrae 25. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



A. Dorsal spines graduating to the higlier soft rays. 



a. Dorsal rays decreasing in length posteriorly. 



D. IV 41-46. A. Ill 24-27. 80.136-148 1^^^*1. ^. L. medusoiihauus. 

 D. VIII-IX 27-30, A. Ill 21-24. Sc. 100- 



108 T7— ^ 2. i. maculatus. 



D. VI -Vl'l 29-33. A, III 21-24. Sc. 95- 



110 3-g-; 3. Z. ovalis. 



D. VIII-IX 26-28. A. Ill 18. Sc. 80-90 ^. 4. L. peruanus. 

 D. VIII 21. A. Ill 16. Sc. 75 "... 5. L. Valenciennesi. 



b. Dorsal rays increasing in length to the last. 



D. Vlli 28. A. Ill 18 G. L. rutundicaada. 



B. Dorsal spines short, not gradual ing to the 



higher soft rays. D. VII-IX 19-24. A. Ill 

 16-21. 



a. Lateral line becoming straight above origin 



of anal 7. Z. japonicus. 



b. Lateral line becoming straight above middle 



of anal 8. i. paucidens. 



c. Lateral line becoming straight above last part 



of anal. 

 Dorsal .«pines increasing in length to the 



fourth, thence subequal 9. i. percifoi-Jiiis. 



Dorsal spines increasing in length to the 



fourth, thence decreasing 10. Z. porusus. 



Lirus medusophagiis, 



^SchedophUus viedusophof/its, Cocco, Giorn. Innom. Mess, Ann. iii. 

 1834, No. 27, p. 57. 



Depth of body 2^ to 2^ times in total length, length of 

 head 3 to 1 times. Snout as long as eye, the diameter of 



