620 TELEOSTEI CHAP. 



bears to that of the Beiycid Melamphaes may be merely a case of 

 convergence, and it must be borne in mind that this appearance 

 is approached by some species of Scopehcs, with which both 

 Malacosarcus and Melamphaes were originally confounded. The 

 praecaudal vertebrae are provided with parapophyses. I have 

 ascertained on a specimen of Stephanoberyx monae that the air- 

 bladder is connected with the dorsal side of the stomach by a 

 short and comparatively wide duct. 



/•'/• 





> 



Fig. 377. — Stephaiuiberyx gilUi, nat. size. (After Goode and Bean. ) 



Fam. 14. Percopsidae. — Margin of the upper jaw formed 

 by the praemaxillaries ; mouth small, not protractile, toothed ; 

 palate toothless. Supraoccipital in contact with the frontals, 

 separating the small parietals. Basis cranii simple. Most of 

 the praecaudal vertebrae with parapophyses, on the upper surface 

 of which the ribs are inserted ; no epipleurals. Post-temporal 

 forked ; post-clavicle present ; scapular foramen in the scapula, 

 on which three hour -glass -shaped pterygials are inserted, a 

 fourth being inserted on the coracoid. Dorsal fin with two 

 true spines ; anal with one or two ; ventrals far forward, with 

 9 rays ; pectorals inserted rather high. A small adipose dorsal 

 fin. Body covered with strongly ctenoid scales. Air-bladder 

 present (with open duct). 



This is a most interesting group of Fishes, from the resem- 

 blance which they bear to the Perches, and they have therefore 

 been raised to the rank of a sub-order, Salmopercae, by Jordan 

 and Evermann, who regard them as " archaic fishes, relics of 

 some earlier fauna, and apparently derived directly from the 

 extinct transitional forms through which the Haplomi and 

 Acanthopteri have descended from allies of the Isospondyh 

 [Malacopterygii]." On the other hand, an analysis of their 

 characters shows them to belong to the Haplomi, of which they 



