Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 2173 



The following notes on the types of Prionotus Uorrens were taken by us 

 in London : Three young specimen, allied to P. tribulus, but the spines 

 still larger and more knife-like ; first spine on edge of snout broad and 

 serrate, 3 behind this progressively larger, then 2 large spines 011 preo- 

 percle, the posterior one the largest; 2 smaller ones on opercle, and 1 

 very large on the scapula; 2 sharp ones over each eye; 1 behind the eye; 

 2 on top of head and 2 on occiput. Mouth large, maxillary reaching front 

 of eye, 2$ in head; gill rakers long and slender, 5; scales small; pec- 

 torals short, 3 in body, reaching somewhat past second dorsal front; 

 pectorals and tip of caudal dusky; no groove behind the eye; belt of 

 palatine teeth narrow, (horrcns, bristling (creating horror), from the 

 large head spines.) 



Prionotus horrcns, RICHARDSON, Voy. Sulph., Ichth., 79, pi. 42, figs. 1-3, 1843, Gulf of Fon- 

 seca; Gt'NTHER, Cat., II, 195, 1860. 



793. BELLATOR, Jordan & Evermann. 



Bellator, JORDAN & EVERMANN, Check-List Fishes, 488, 1896 (militaris). 



This genus is closely allied to PrionoJis, differing chiefly in the great 

 development of the first and second dorsal spines, which are about as long 

 as body. Scales large and very rough. Snout short, abruptly descending. 

 West Indies, (bellator, warrior.) 



a. Body robust; scales large, 40 tubes; snout with serrated process. MILITARIS, 2501. 

 aa. Body slender; scales moderate, 60 tubes; snout without processes. EGRETTA, 2502. 



2501. BELLATOR MILITARIS (Goode & Bean). 



Head 3; depth 3J; eye 10i, = interorbital width; snout 2-fV D.X-11; 

 A. I, 9; P. 12+3; V. I, 5. Body short, stout, its greatest width at base of 

 pectorals nearly of length. Head short, snout abruptly descending and 

 with 2 rather long diverging spinous processes at its tip. Orbits much 

 elevated, spines large, and jaws small; distance measured obliquely from 

 tip of rostral spine to edge of opercular flap 2 in length; nearly all of the 

 spines of head and exposed edges of preorbital, mandible, and opercles 

 minutely serrate; the diverging spines upon snout themselves armed along 

 margin by numerous spinules; a strong spine on preopercle, with a sec- 

 ondary spine at its base; the spine on preopercle as long as snout; a stout 

 spine on operculum, another in humeral region, another on nape extending 

 backward to base of fourth dorsal spine. Teeth in jaws, and on vomer 

 and palate, very small, in villiform bands. Length of maxillary a little 

 greater than that of eye; length of mandible a little less than that of 

 snout, reaching about to the vertical from front of eye; a furrow across 

 nape immediately behind eyes ; 9 developed gill rakers on the anterior 

 arch, besides several rudiments ; all of the gill rakers very short. Pseudo- 

 branchiae present. Branchiostegals 7. Distance of dorsal from tip of snout 

 2 in body ; first 2 dorsal spines much produced ; length of first almost 

 equal to standard length ; length of second slightly greater than that of 

 first ; the short spine about twice as long as mandible ; when the dorsal 



