FAMILY LOPHID^ CHIRONECTES. 165 



Color. I liave never seen this species in its recent state, and therefore cite Mitchill's 

 description : " Color pale brown, variegated along the sides witir dark yellowish and ruddy, 

 " so as to resemble some sorts of iron-stones or fractures of ferruginous earths ; the deeper 

 " dark [markings ?] cross the dorsal rays obliquely and transversely, and the caudal in con- 

 ■' centric curves." 



Length, 2-0. Height, rO. 



Fin rays, D. 12 ; P. 10 ; V. 5 ; A. 7 ; C. 9. 



We think this species wrongly cited both by Cuvier and Storer ; its radial formula differs 

 considerably, as well as its surface and rounded tail. Neither of these authors appear to 

 have been acquainted with Mitchill's description. 



This small species has been brought to me from oj^ster boats, and had been caught in the 

 harbor of New- York. 



THE SMOOTH MOUSE-FISH. 



ChIRONECTES LSYIGATUS. 



PLATE XXVII. FIG. 83. 



C. lavigatxvs. CcviEB, Mcmoires du Museum, Vol. 3, p. 423, pi. 16, fig. 1. 



Le Chironccle uni. Cuv. et Val. Hist, des Poiss, Vol. 12, p. 399. 



The Smooth Chironectes, C. l(£vigatus. Stoker, Massachusetts Report, p. 73. 



Characteristics. Surface of the body smooth. Posterior portion of the dorsal longest. Color 

 as in preceding. Size of the preceding. 



Description. Surface of the bodj' with no vestige of granules. Minute cutaneous sYipf. 

 beneath the jaws. The appendages on the anterior portion of the head as in the preceding. 

 The dorsal fin with eleven rays, gradually increasing in length from tlie first to the last. 

 Pectorals witli eight rays extending bej^ond tlie membrane. Vcntrals with five rays, of which 

 the second and third rays are elongated. Anal elongated, and with seven rays. Caudal 

 rounded, but not as much so as in the preceding species. 



Color. Irregular blackish blotches upon a brownish ground, tinged with reddish. Small 

 white spots irregularly distributed on the sides. Brown transverse bars acros.3 the dorsal, jiec- 

 toral and caudal fins. 



Length, 2-2. Depth, I'l. 



Fin rays, D. 11 ; P. S ; V. .5 ; A. 7 ; C. 9. 



I remarked on this species but three or four of the cuticular slips, so numerous on the pre- 

 ceding species. The abdomen also appeared to be more tumid. The processes on the head 

 are almost precisely like those in the preceding species ; but the anterior ray is more robust, 

 and the second appears multifid at the tip. 



The geographical range of this species extends from Charleston, South-Carolina, to Boston, 

 Massachusetts, where it has been observed bv Dr. Storer. 



