LOPHOBRANCHII. 267 



tion of the ethmoid, vomer, tympanals, preopercula, subopercula, 

 &c., and terminated by an ordinary mouth, but one that is cleft al- 

 most vertically on its extremity. The respiratory aperture is near 

 the nape, and the ventrals are wanting. There is a peculiarity in 

 the generation of these fishes, whose ova slip into a pouch formed 

 by an inflation of the skin and are hatched there; this pouch, in some, 

 is situated under the belly, and in others under the base of the tail; 

 it splits spontaneously for the passage of the fry. 



Syngnathus, properly so called. 



An extremely elongated and very thin body, differing but little in 

 diameter throughout. Several species are found in the seas of Eu- 

 rope. 



Some of them, besides their ventrals, have a dorsal, a caudal, and 

 an anal.(l) 



In others the anal only is wanting.(2) In these two groups the 

 pouch is situated under the tail. 



Others again have neither anal nor pectorals, but are provided 

 with a dorsal and caudalj their pouch is under the belly.(3) 



A fourth kind are deprived of every fin but the dorsal.(4) 



Hippocampus, Cuv. 



The trunk laterally compressed, and considerably more elevated 

 than the tailj by curving after death the head and body assume some 

 resemblance to the head and neck of a horse in miniature, whence 

 their vulgar name of Sea-Horses. The edges of their scales are 

 raised into ridges, and their salient angles into spines. The tail is 

 without fins. 



One species is found in the seas of Europe with a short snout, 

 Hipp, brevirostris, Cuv., Will., pi. J, 25, fig. 3; and another with 

 a longer snout, Hipp, guttulafus, Cuv., Will., J. 25, f. 5, both of 

 which have only a few filaments on the snout and body. Others 

 closely allied to these, are taken in the Indian Ocean.(5) 



New Holland produces a larger one, which, from the leaf-like 



(1) Syngnathiis typhle, L., Bl., 91, 1; — Syng. acus, L, BL, 91, 2. 



(2) Syng, pelagicus, Risso, p. 63; — Syng. Bondeletii, haroche, Ann. Mus.,XIII, 

 5, 5, viridis, Risso, 65, Rondel, 229, 1;—S. barbarus, Penn., Brit. ZooL, or rubes- 

 cens, Risso. 



(3) Syng. sequoreus, L., Montag., Werner. Soc, I, 4, f. 1. 



(4) Syng. ophidian, L., BL, 91, 3;—Syng.papacinus, Risso, IV, 7;— Syng. fan- 

 ciatus, Id., lb., 8. 



(5) Syng. longirostris, Cuv., "Will., J.; 25, f. 4, and other species to be describ- 

 ed in our Icthyology. 



