462 PISHES. 



Eighth Family. — Teachinid^. 



Body elongate, low, naked or covered ivifh scales. Teeth 

 small, conical. No tony stay for the pi'ceoperculum. One or 

 two dorsal fins, the spinous portion being always shorter and 

 much less developed than the soft ; the anal similarly developed 

 as the soft dorsal ; no finlets. Ventrals loith one spine and five 

 rays. Gill-opening more or less wide. Ten or more than ten 

 abdominal, and more than fourteen caudal vertebrcc. 



Carnivorous coast-fishes of small size, found in every 

 quarter of the globe, but scarcely represented in the Arctic 

 zone (Trichodon) ; on the other hand, they are rather numer- 

 ous tovt^ards the Antarctic circle. All are bad swimmers, 

 generally moving along the bottom in small depths. Only 

 one genus (Bathydraco) is known from the deep-sea. 



A genus which shows the principal characters of this 

 family (Gallipterya^, has been found in the tertiary deposits 

 of Monte Bolca ; it is scaleless. A second genus, Trachinopsis, 

 has been recently described by Sauvage from the Upper 

 Tertiary of Lorca in Spain ; and a third (Fseudoeleginus) from 

 the Miocene of Licata. 



This family may be subdivided into five groups : — 



1. In the Ueanoscopina the eyes are on the upper surface of 

 the head, directed upwards ; the lateral line is continuous. 



Uranoscopus. — Head large, broad, thick, partly covered 

 with bony plates ; cleft of the mouth vertical. Scales very small. 

 Two dorsal fins, the first with from three to five spines ; ventrals 

 jugular ; pectoral rays branched. Villiform teeth in the jaws, 

 on the vomer and palatine bones ; no canines. Generally a 

 long filament below and before the tongue. Gill-cover armed. 



The position of the eyes on the upper surface of the head, 

 which these fishes have in common with many others, is well 

 expressed by the name Uranoscopus (Stare-gazer). Their eyes 

 are very small, and can be raised or depressed at the will of 



