Classijication of the Scomhroid Fnhcs. ij'^ 



The skull is chiefly remarkable for the high medio u 

 occipital crest continued forward to above the ethmoid, its 

 anterior portion formed by the froutals. The ethmoid is 

 hollowed out anteriorly for the reception of the vertically 

 placed posterior processes of the prffimaxillaries. There are 

 60 to 33 vertebrae, the prsecaudals without parapophyses, the 

 ribs and epipleurals inserted together on the centra. The 

 structure of the pectoral arch and of the caudal fin is as in 

 the Caraiigidaj, to which family the Coryphienida3 may be 

 related. 



4. Braraidae. 



The cranium of Brama is strikingly similar to that of 

 Corypltcena. The family is distinguished from the preceding 

 by the expanded coracoids and by the structure of the 

 vertebral column, which comprises 42 to 47 vertebraj and 

 has most of the ribs attached at the extremities of closed 

 hsemal arches. 



5. Menidae. 



Mene appears to be related to Brama, which it resembles 

 in the structure of the occipital crest, but from which it 

 differs in that the epiotics meet behind the supraoccipital. 

 The mouth is very protractile and the maxillaries are ab- 

 normal, with the inner apophyses much elongated, and 

 moving in a pair of grooves on the anterior surface of the 

 vomer. This recalls the condition in the AUutriognuthi, 

 but differs from it in that the maxillaries are non-pro- 

 tractile, each being attached to the well-developed maxillary 

 process of the palatine. The vertebrae number 23 (9-|-l4) 

 and the anterior ones are much abbreviated ; the ribs aie 

 inserted on transverse processes, except the first pair, which 

 are sessile on the third vertebra, are much enlarged, and are 

 modified for articulation with the inner posterior edges oL 

 the post-cleithra ; the transverse processes of the fourth 

 and fifth vertebrae are enlarged and support the first pair of 

 ribs from behind. 



None of the five families mentioned above appears to me 

 to be related to the Scombridse ; they may all be regarded 

 as more or le^s specialized Percoids. The Carangidse, 

 Cory ph sen id?e, and Bramidse have a perch-like mouth 

 accompanied by a widely forked caudal fin, with the 

 hypural bone embraced to a conoid' rable extent by the 

 bases of the caudal fin-rays; but that tliis latter feature does 



