164 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



GENUS CHIRONECTES. Cuvier. 



Head vertically compressed. Three free rays on the summit of the head. Mouth cleft more 

 or less vertically ; opening to the gill by a round aperture behind the pectorals. Tongue 

 edentate. Intermaxillaries, lower jaw, vomer, palatines and pharyngeals with minute card 

 teeth. Dorsal long. 



Obs. This genus was first indicated by Commerson under the name of Antennarius, but 

 separated from Lophius, and finally established in 1816 under its present name by Cuvier. 

 This group is composed of small species, many of which are found swimming among sea- 

 weed. MM. Cuvier and Valenciennes have described twenty-four species, beside indications 

 of others which are not yet sufficiently determined. The species are all closely allied, and 

 possibly varieties have been mistaken for species. 



THE GIBBOUS MOUSE-FISH. 



Chironectes gibbus. 



PLATE XXIV. FIG. 74.— (CABINET OF THE LYCEUM.) 



The Mouse-fish, L. gibbus. Mitchill, Lit. and Philos. Soc. Vol. 1, pi. 4, fig. 9, (no description.) 

 L. id.. The Mouse-fish. Id, Am. Month. Mag. Vol. 2, p. 325. 



Characteristics. Surface of the body granulate. Tail rounded, with concentric bars. Poste- 

 rior portion of the dorsal fin rounded. Length 2 inches. 



Description. Body compressed, thickest about the pectorals ; greatest depth half of the 

 total length. Body minutely granulate, and with short distant flattened filaments distributed 

 irregularly over it. In some instances, they are replaced by small rounded elevated tubercles. 

 The course of the lateral line is represented by a series of pores ; this series is highly curved 

 above the pectorals, descending rapidly to the middle of the body, and then going off straight 

 to the tail. On the anterior part of the head, and between the eyes, is a cylindrical soft ray 

 0" 25 long, covered with numerous cuticular processes; and at the base, a slender filament 

 enlarged at its tip. Behind and above this Eire two other soft rays, enveloped in a common 

 granular membrane ; the summit of the first is bifid, terminating in two flattened processes. 

 Eyes apparently very small, and near the mouth. Mouth nearly vertical, with minute teeth 

 in the jaws. Tongue smooth. Chin and throat with numerous distant cuticular processes. 

 Branchial aperture small and rounded underneath, and attached to the base of the pectorals. 



The dorsal fin of twelve soft and feebly branched rays : longer than high, commencing over 

 the pectorals, and coterminal with the anal. Pectorals with ten subequal rays. Ventrals 

 before the pectorals, elongated, horizontal, contiguous, and with five rays. The anal fin 

 commences under the eighth dorsal ray, rounded on its margin, higher than long, and com- 

 posed of one simple and six bifid rays. Caudal fin expanded, much rounded, and containing 

 but nine rays. 



