SALMONID^. EXOCETINiE. 207 



equal, placed close to the caudal, which is forked ; 

 ventral behind the middle. 



vulgaris Sw. Yarr. i. 391. 



Scomhresojc Lac. General structure of Ramphistoma, 



but the dorsal and anal fins are longer, and the hinder 



rays of both assume the character of detached finlets ; 



ventral nn nearly central. 



saurus. Yarrell, i. 396. equirostris. Am. Tr. i. 132. 



hians. Raff. Car, 9. 1. scutellatus. lb. 132. 



Hemiramphus Cviv. Upper jaw excessively short; the 

 under one very long, and flattened horizontally ; scales 

 large. 



longirostris, Russ. pi. 178. Commersonii.Lac.v.pl.7. 



brevirostris. lb. 177. fig. 3. 



marginatus. Lac. v. pi. 7. f. 2. Braziliensis. Bl. 391. 



Lepisosteus Lac. Head and body mailed with plates and 



scales of great thickness, which are also extended to 



the exterior rays of all the fins ; dorsal and anal fins 



small, ovate, and situated close to the caudal ; ventral 



fin placed half-way between the pectoral and anal ; 



upper jaw longer than the lower, broad, and armed 



with sharp unequal teeth.* 



osseus. Bloch. pi. 390. oxyurus. Raf. Ohlo,p.73. 



platystomus. Raf. Ohio, p. 72. longirostris. lb. 74. 



albus. lb. ferox. lb. 75. 



Litholepes Raf.f General characters of Lepisosteus ; 

 body fusiform ; vent nearly central ;- head lengthened 

 into a long snout, beneath which is the mouth ; the 

 jaws not lengthened; teeth strong, unequal; dorsal 

 and anal fins equal and opposite ; caudal bilobed, not 

 oblique ; ventral fin near the vent ; scales stony, im- 

 penetrable, diamond-shaped. 



Lith. adamantinus. Raff. Fishes of Ohio, p. 76. 



Esox Linn, Scales small, distinct ; muzzle oblong, ob- 

 tuse, very broad, and considerably depressed; mouth 



* Divided by Rafinesque into two sub-genera ; his Cylindrosteus'has the 

 dorsal fin beginning behind the anal, while in Lepisosteus it is opposite : 

 he has given descriptions of several species. 



t Rafinesque says that for this remarkable fish he has principally "relied 

 on a description and figure given by Mr. Audubon." It is the Diamond 

 or Devil-fish, of the Americans. 



