152 TELEOSTEI: ACANTHOPTERI. — XX. 



each side ; preopercle with a very long rough spine ; opercle 

 small ; isthmus very broad, scaly ; gill rakers minute ; mouth 

 small, with granular teeth in jaws only ; tail with 2 serrate, knife- 

 like appendages. Spinous D. short, its first spines free; an im- 

 movable spine between dorsals; C. small, lunate; P. divided to 

 base, the anterior part corresponding to the free rays in Triglida, 

 of about 6 rays connected by membrane; the posterior part very 

 long (reaching C. in adult), the rays slender and simple; V. close 

 together, I, 4. Air bladder complex ; vertebrae 9 -\- 13. Two 

 species in the warm seas, able to flutter for short distances in 

 the air. 



194. CEPHALACANTHUS Lacepede. (icf^aXij, head; 

 aKavda, spine.) 

 CI. Occiput without filament. 



422. C. volitans (L.). Flying Gurnard. Sea Robin. 

 Greenish and brown, mottled with orange or red, the belly usually 

 orange ; P. with blue streaks and spots ; C. with reddish bars. 

 Color very variable. Head 4|- ; depth 5^. D. II, IV -8. A. 6. 

 P. 28-6. L. 12. Atlantic, N". to Newf'd. {Eu.) (Lat., flying.) 



FAMir.Y LXXVI. TRIGLID^. (The Gurnards.) 



Body subfusiform, covered with scales or bony plates; head 

 entirely covered with rough bones, most of them armed with 

 spines ; mouth moderate, with small teeth or none ; maxillary 

 simple; gills 4, a slit behind fourth; pseudobranchise present; 

 V. I, 5, wide apart, separated by a flat area. Spinous D. short; 

 A. without spines ; C. narrow. P. large, with broad base, the 

 2 or 3 lowermost rays detached from the rest and separate. Air 

 bladder present. Vertebrae about 24, as in nearly all tropical 

 fishes. Genera 5 ; species 40, in all warm seas. (jplyKa, old 

 name of Mullus.) 



a. Body scalj'; teeth present on jaws, vomer and palatines; free P., rays 3. 



Pkionotus, 196. 



195. PRIONOTUS Lacdpfede. Sea Robins, (npiav, saw ; 

 vSiTos, back.) 

 u. Month rather small, the maxillary not J head ; a cross-groove on top of 

 head behind eye ; a black ocellated spot on spinous D. 



423. P. carolinus (L.). Body rather stout ; preopercular spine 

 with no smaller one before it; P. short, not ^ body ; P. appendages 

 broadened at tip; gill rakers about 10; bones of head compara- 

 tively smooth. Olive, back with 4 dark cross-shades ; pale oblique 

 streaks on 1st D. Head 3; depth 5. D. X-13. A. 12. Lat. 1. 

 58 (pores). L. 12, Cape Ann to S. C. (S. occurs P. scitidus 

 J. & G., slender, with short head and spotted body.) 



