Ko.im. CHARACTERS OF PEBCESOCES— STARES. 9 



Suborbital ring formed of a very large preorbital and the usual chain 

 of small suborbitals tunneled witli sensory canal. 



Bones of suspensorium and opercular apparatus typical in their rela- 

 tive positions. 



Palatine x)rocess very strong and heavy, its lower edge sharp, sup- 

 porting a single row of teeth. 



Metapterygoid rather thick, united by suture for whole length of its 

 attachment with hyomandibular. ]Sfo foramen between. 



Symplectic attached to metapterygoid at its upper end by subdentate 

 suture. 



Angular present, rather small. 



Coronoid bone well developed. 



Maxillary and premaxillary so attached to each other as to allow 

 little play between them. Maxillary with a well developed supplemental 

 bone which bears a knob on its posterior edge. 



Teeth of palatine and jaws, except anterior teeth of lower jaw and 

 premaxillary, set deep in grooves, which are subdivided for each tooth 

 forming semisockets.^ The exceptions noted isolated and set in true 

 sockets. The rooted portion of each tooth as great or greater than the 

 exposed portion. 



Clavicle turning forward at an angle slightly above pectoral fin. 



Pectoral superior in position, its upper ray working directly upon 

 hypercoracoid. 



Actinosts moderate in size, all attached to hypercoracoid except half 

 of lower one. 



Hypercoracoid bareh' touching clavicle at its upper end, arching 

 widely away from it and strongly attaching to it at its lower end. At 

 its upper snperior portion a process projects backward past end of 

 actinosts. 



Postclavicle consisting of two parts. 



Supraclavicle of moderate size. 



Hypohyals united to ceratohyals by sutures. 



Glossohyal rod-like, rather stout and elongate. 



TJrohyal divided into three long processes extending backward beyond 

 posterior ends of branchiostegals. These subdivided into bristle-like 

 filaments. 



Branchiostegals seven in number. 



Basibranchials three in number, the anterior one in front of that of 

 first arch, the posterior ones supporting both second and third arches. 



Superior pharyngeals four, including the moderate suspensory 

 pharyngeal, the two posterior forming an elongate ovate patch, but not 

 anchjdosed. 



First two interneurals of spinous dorsal not anchylosed, as is com- 

 monly the case. 



' Somewhat similar to the posterior teeth in the jaws of a crocodile. 



