THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 285 



Bnneacanthus obesus Jordan, An. N. Y. Acad. Sci., I, 1879^ 

 p. 98.— Abbott, Nat. Rambles, 1885, p. 477.— Bean, Bull. U. S. 

 F. Com., V, 1887, p. 143, from Baird. — E. Smith, Tr. Einn. Soc. 

 N. Y,, No. 9, 1897, p. 42. 



Apomotis obesus Cope, Am. Nat., XXX, 1896, p. 943. 



Genus jMesogonistius Gill. 



The Banded Sun Fishes. 

 Mesogonistius chastodon (Baird). 



Plate 39. 



Banded Sun Fish. Ch^todon. 



Head 2^ ; depth 134 ; D. X, 11 ; A. H, 12; P. n, 8; V. I, 5 : 

 scales about 29 (squamation injured) in lateral line to base of 

 caudal ; 5 ? scales between origin of spinous dorsal and lateral 

 line, and 10 between latter and origin of spinous anal; width of 

 head i}i in its length ; depth of head over anterior margin of eye 

 lYs ; snout 4; eye 3; maxillary 3; interorbital space 3J4 ', fourth 

 dorsal spine iVtj second dorsal ray ij^ ; third anal spine 1^5; 

 first anal ray i J^ ; length of caudal i ; least depth of caudal pedun- 

 cle 1^/10; pectoral iVt^ ventral i-^Ao- Body deeply rhomboid, 

 compressed, back w^ell elevated, upper profile a little more convex 

 than lower and greatest depth about tip of ventral spine. Caudal 

 peduncle compressed, deep, and least depth about equal to its 

 length. Head deep^ compressed, upper profile slightly concave 

 over front of eye, and lower slightly convex. Snout broad, 

 short, and convex. Eye rather large, circular, a little high and 

 posterior. JMouth well inclined, and mandible only slightly pro- 

 jecting. Lips a little fleshy. Maxillary small, reaching front 

 margin of orbit, slipping below preorbital, which is equal in 

 breadth to half of orbit. Distal expanded extremit}^ of maxillary 

 ^/y of orbit. Teeth moderately large, in bands on vomer and 

 palatines and in jaws. Tongue short, rather broad, and free. 

 Each ramus of mandible well elevated inside of mouth. Nostrils 

 separated, lateral, posterior larger and near upper front rim of 

 orbit. Margins of preorbital, suprascapula, and preopercle entire,. 



