CENTRAECHID^. 21 



motis and Apomotis of Eaflnesque. The fact that Pomotis has been long 

 in u,se and is a very familiar name is its only claim for retention, a 

 claim which does not appear to justify its retention in opposition to 

 established rules of nomenclature. 



The name Pomotis being therefore untenable for any genus of Cen- 

 trarchidce, Prof. Gill and myself have proposed the name Mipomotis for 

 bparus aureus Walbaum {= Pomotis vulgaris Ouvier) and its congeners. 



Three species of this genus are known from autopsy to Prof. Gill and 

 myself—^, aureus (Walb.), ^- speciosus (Holbrook), and U. paUidus 

 (Agassiz). 



11. EUPOMOTIS PALLIDUS, (Agassiz) Gill & Jordan. 

 Pomotis pallidas, Ag., Am. Journ. Sci. Arts, 1854, 303.— Jordan, Man. Vert. 1876, 240. 



This is a large stout species, somewhat elongate, resembling Lepiopo- 

 muspallidus in form and coloration. Head 3 in length; depth 2J; eye 4. 

 Head and protile scarcely gibbous; snout protruding; mouth rather 

 large, somewhat oblique, reaching the front of eye; eye rather large; 

 opercular flap wide and rounded, shorter than in E. aureus, with a 

 rather wide pale border, chiefly below and behind. Scales very large, 

 4_35_13, about 4 rows on the cheeks. Spines rather high and strong, 

 the longest dorsal spine as long as from muzzle past middle of pupil; 

 soft fins high ; pectorals long, but not reaching anal. Gill-rakers short 

 and weak. 



Color pale olive or brassy; no trace of blue or orange in spirits ; some 

 blackish markings on last rays, but hardly a spot. Pharyngeal teeth 

 very strongly "paved", as in the related species. Described from l!^o. 

 4157, National Museum. 



Habitat.— Tennessee Eiver (Agassiz). Mississippi Eiver, at Saint 

 Louis; Alabama River (specimens in National Museum). 



12. XENOTIS. 



Xenoiis, Jordan, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1877, 76. 



The peculiar character of the gill-rakers, which separates this genus 

 from Lepiopojnus, has not yet been fully defined, and indeed a more minute 

 study is still desirable, although it may be readily recognized. In Lepio- 

 pomus, the gill-rakers of the anterior branchial arch are comparatively 

 long, somewhat firm, having apparently an ossified basis, and they are 

 provided toward their tip, on one side at least, with minute, pointed, 

 tooth-like roughnesses. These teeth may be readily felt with the 



