FISHES. 569 
and maxillary bones are rather sparingly furnished with teeth, and 
these are long and hooked. Similar teeth are observable on the 
tongue. The ventral fins are placed far back, and the dorsal fin is 
placed opposite the anal fin, on the hinder extremity of the body. 
Only two species of this genus are known: the one of the 
Fig. 374.—Adult Green and Red varictigs vf Lutrus cusmusis. 
Mediterranean, Stomias boa (Fig..378), the other of the Atlantic 
Ocean, S. barbatus, so called from the long barbula on the chin. 
Both species are black in colour, with numerous small silvery spots 
on the abdomen. The body of S. doa is thin, compressed, covered 
with little thin scales of blackish blue, much spotted on the back and 
abdomen, a little brighter on the sides, the head, in some respects, 
recalling that of a serpent. 
Of the former division we have the Zeéride. ‘This family contains 
