384 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



preorbitals, suborbitals and bones on top of head united into a 

 shield. Nuchal part of shield on each side produced backward 

 in a bony ridge, ending in a strong spine reaching past front of 

 dorsal. Preorbitals forming a projecting roof above jaws. Pre- 

 opercle produced in a very long rough spine. Opercle smaller 

 than eye. Interorbital space deeply concave. Mouth small, lower 

 jaw included. Jaws with granular teeth. No teeth on vomer 

 or palatines. Gill-openings narrow, vertical, separated by a very 

 broad scaly isthmus. Gill-rakers minute. Pseudobranchise large. 

 Air-vessel with 2 lateral parts, each with a large muscle. Pyloric 

 cceca numerous. Vertebrae 9 -\- 13 = 22. Scales bony, strongly 

 keeled. At base of tail two serrated knife-like appendages. 

 Cheeks and opercles with small scales. First dorsal of IV or V 

 rather high flexible spines, first I or II spines nearly free from 

 others. An immavable spine between dorsals. Anal and second 

 dorsal short, of slender rays. Caudal lunate, small. Pectorals 

 divided to base into 2 parts, anterior portion about as long as 

 head, of about 6 closely connected rays, and posterior or larger 

 portion more than twice length of head, reaching nearly to caudal 

 in . adult. These * rays very slender, simple, wide apart at tip. 

 Ventrals I, 4, bases close together, long and pointed, inner rays 

 shortest. 



Handsome and singular fishes of the warm seas. Remarkable 

 for their powers of flight, which though like that of the true 

 flying fishes is of shorter distance. One species on our coast. 



Genus Cephalacanthus Eacepede. 



The Flying Gurnards. 



Cephalacanthus volitans (Linnaeus). 



Plate 83. 



Flvins: Robin. 



Head 3%; depth 5; D. II, IV-I-8; A. vi-i, 20; P. 

 VI-I, 18; scales about 62 in lateral series to base of caudal; 

 snout 2^ in head; eye 4%; maxillary 2^/3; interorbital space 



