250 CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES^ ETC, 



Strongly spinous^ the latter -with a scaly appendage at 

 the base ; pectoral fins moderate^ pointed ; a row of 

 spines at the base of the dorsal and anal. 

 Dussumierii. Cuv. pi. 283. filigera. Cuv. 284. 



Hamiltonia Sw. Dorsal fins two, united at their base ; 

 body diaphanous, and always smooth; preopercule 

 finely crenated. (^Cha7ida, Ham.) 



H. ovata. Sw. Ham. fig.37. lata. Sw. lb. fig. 37. 



Platysomcs Sw. Body rhomboid, excessively thin; 

 head large, obtuse ; the profile abrupt, and sometimes 

 nearly vertical ; body silvery, without scales ; dorsal, 

 anal, and ventral fins often with the rays excessively 

 elongated ; pectorals large, falcate ; caudal forked ; 

 eyes large, placed near the crown, and very remote 

 from the mouth, which is small, and but slightly re- 

 tractile; lateral line smooth, arched before, and 

 straight behind ; dorsal fins generally one. 



Blepharis Cuv. First rays of the ventral, dorsal, and 

 anal fins excessively prolonged, and ending in naked 

 filaments ; hinder rays short ; a few short prickles 

 before the dorsal and fins ; eyes often placed near 

 the mouth, 

 sutor. Cuv. pi. 253. gallichthys Sw. Cuv, pi. 254. 



Platysomus Sw. Ventral fins very minute, or nearly 



obsolete ; profile of the head almost vertical ; crown 



gibbous ; dorsal and anal fin long and low ; the rays not 



prolonged ; eyes central between the crown and mouth, 



a few spines before the dorsal fin. ( Vomer Cuv.) 



Brownii. Cuv. pi. 256. Micropteryx Sw. App. 

 Spixii Sw. Spix, pi. 5 7. 



Argyriosus Cuv. General form of the last, but the 

 profile is oblique ; ventral fins fragile and pointed ; 

 dorsal fins two ; the first of three or four short spines 

 connected by a membrane ; second dorsal and anal 

 long and narrow, but with the anterior rays excessively 

 prolonged, as in Blepharis ; lateral line smooth. 



triacanthus Sw. Spix. pL 58. filamentosus. Sw. Cuv. pi. 255. 



Scyris Cuv. General structure of Argyriosus, but with 

 only one dorsal fin, as long as the anal, and both with 



