162 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [VoL. XXXVI. 
They have not jugular ventrals and should be removed to other parts 
of the system. 
The Chiasmodontide (including Chiasmodon, Pseudoscopelus, 
and apparently Champsodon) have the ventrals rather abdominal 
than thoracic, not being connected with the pectoral arch, or in 
Champsodon joined by ligament only. These may be Percesoces, 
but that is very unlikely and their real affinities are doubtful. 
The Trichodontidz (Trichodon and Arctoscopus) are percoids, 
most nearly related to the Latrididz. 
The Sillaginide are, as supposed by Cavier, most nearly allied to 
the Sciznide. 
Most of the remaining genera agree closely in skeletal characters, 
notwithstanding their variations in external appearance, and their 
actual relationships are altogether percoid, approaching closely to the 
genus Plesiops, which Boulenger ranges among the Serranidz of the 
Anthias group. These constitute the family Pseudochromididz, com- 
posed of Pseudochromis, Cichlops, Opistognathus, Latilus, Caulola- 
tilus, Malacanthus, Bathymaster, and their allies. This family seems 
to the writer still. very heterogeneous. Bathymaster has a greatly 
increased number of vertebre, Pseudochromis has two lateral lines, 
and Opisthognathus differs superficially in many ways from Latilus. 
Cepola, not mentioned by Boulenger, must lie near this group as a 
distinct family, Cepolide. Pinguipes differs from all this in lacking 
the supraocular lamina. It forms a distinct family, Pinguipedide. 
Dni 
Jordan’ on Distribution of Fishes. — In Science, Dr. Jordan has 
an extended account of the origin of the fish fauna of Japan, with 
deductions of general application from the relation of the Japanese 
fauna to those of other regions. 
He finds no evidence from the fishes of a direct connection between 
Japan and the Mediterranean, and no evidence of the submergence 
of the Isthmus of Suez. In the large identity of genera, and the 
divergence of species on the two sides of the Isthmus of Panama, 
he finds evidence of former submergence (perhaps Miocene) but 
none during the lifetime of the present species. He does not find 
in the wide distribution of the Antarctic fresh-water troutlike genus, 
Galaxias, certain evidence of the former union of South America 
and Australia in Antarctic Continent, but would accept the theory 
on geological evidence. i 
