96 CEOMERIIDiE. 



The remainder of this region is the only part of the cranium proper in which cartilage 

 remains; posteriorly it extends backwards over the parasphenoid, and dorsally it 

 presents vestiges of supraorbital bands. The ventral surface of both cartilaginous and 

 ossified portions is marked by a deep groove, in which lie the vomer and the para- 

 sphenoid ; these bones are both edentulous and are fused with each other. 



In the hyosuspensorial apparatus, the chief feature to be noticed is the absence of a 

 symplectic. The metapterygoid might be mistaken for this bone, but, unlike the true 

 symplectic in other Teleosteans, it has no cartilaginous connection with the hyo- 

 mandibular ; it is continuous, however, in front with the pterygoquadrate cartilage, 

 and is formed by ossification of the same. The real extent of the pterygoquadrate 

 cartilage is concealed by the single pterygoid. Ventrally there is a small quadrate 

 ossification with a long process which overlaps the prseoperculum. In front, the 

 cartilage is replaced by the slender palatine bone. Epihyal, ceratohyal bearing three 

 branchiostegal rays, a single hypohyal, and an unossified basihyal make up the 

 remainder of the hyoid arch. 



All the opercular bones are present. 



Both prgemaxilla and maxilla are small ; the latter overlaps the former distally and 

 enters largely into the formation of the gape. 



The branchial skeleton is remarkable for the position of the anterior extremity of 

 the pharygobranchial series, which is on a level with the front end of the first 

 basibranchial ; another peculiar feature is the general tendency to exhibit fenestration 

 at the joints. The first pharyngobranchial, like the first basibranchial, is cartilaginous; 

 the other basibranchials (2 to 5) are ossified. 



The pectoral girdle is attached by the greatly elongated arm of a bifurcated post- 

 temporal to the supraoccipital bone. All the usual dermal elements except the 

 postclavicle are present. The rod-like coracoid bones are in contact with each other 

 anteriorly by means of cartilaginous epiphyses. A slender mesocoracoid bone is 

 present. 



The centra of the vertebras are nearly cylindrical, so that the contained chorda is 

 only slightly constricted. In the tail no separate vertebrae are present in the upturned 

 portion of the axis ; there are three hypural bones. The ribs, which are present on 

 all the prascaudal vertebras except the first, articulate with processes on the second 

 centrum, and with the centra themselves on the rest. A simple epipleural is attached 

 close to the head on each rib. 



