40* 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
tint third nearly as large as second and remote from it; second dorsal and anal 1*>n^c, similar to each 
other; caudal fin rounded, w ith the outer rays much produced in the adult ; branchiostegals <>; verte¬ 
brae 7-f-lO. Species rather few, chiefly American; some of them straying to the old world. 
Batistes (Artedi) Linnaeus, Syst, Nat., Ed. X, 327, 1758 (vetiila). 
Cap rise us Rafinesque, Indice, 11, 58, 1810 {porous—eaprisc us ). 
Chalisoma Swainson, Nat. Hist. Class’ll Fishes, II, 325, 1839 (jjulcherriina). 
Capriscus Swainson, op. cat., II, 320, 1839 ( capriscus ); after Capriscus of Willughby. 
Pachynathus Swainson, op. cit., II, 326, 1839 ( Irianyularis=capi stratus ); the name evidently in error for Pachypnathus , but 
not so spelled; not Pachygnathm, an earlier name of a genus of spiders. 
a. Scales more than 60 (about so); dorsal not highest in front; color black.. 
an. Scales 60 or fewer (50 to 60); dorsal with anterior rays more or less elevated. 
b. Origin of spinous dorsal midway between eye and gill-opening; side with dark streaks 
bb. Origin of spinous dorsal over or behind gill-opening. 
c. Dorsal and anal somewhat elevated in front; scales 60; black, the tins pale . 
cc. Dorsal and anal not elevated in front; a dark streak through eye; scales 50 to 56. 
d. Scales about 50 . 
del. Scales about 56; a broad pale streak behind month.... 
333. Batistes nycteris (Jordan & Evermann). Fig. 179. 
Head 3.5 in length; depth 1.9; eye 5 in head; snout 1.25; interorbital 2.6; preorbital 1.5; I>. m- 
33; A. 29; scales about 80. 
Body short, stout, deep and greatly compressed; head short, the dorsal and ventral profiles about 
equally curved; caudal peduncle short, compressed, its least depth about twice diameter of eye, its 
. jiyCteris, p. 108 
. .fuscolinealus, p. 109 
. vidua, x>. 409 
. bursa, p. 410 
. capistratus, p. 411 
z*Zr. 3.*4 ffAW w ■, , v ' * r • Pis « 
*’ # A f fij.i I 
Mb 
Fig. 179 .—Halistcs vyctcris (Jordan A Evermann); Irora the type. 
least width about equal to diameter of eye; a short horizontal groove in front of eye below nostrils; 
nostrils small, close together, in front of upper part of eye; teeth broad, close set, forming a continuous 
plate, teeth not united, however; lips thin; mouth small, horizontal, in axis of body, lower jaw very 
slightly tlie longer; gill-opening short, nearly vertical; a group of bony scutes under pectoral back of 
gill-opening, one of these considerably enlarged; scales regularly arranged in rows, their surfaces 
granular; lateral line beginning at posterior edge of eye, ascending to within 7 scales of spinous dorsal 
and continuing to near origin of soft dorsal, where it disappears; scales on posterior portion of body 
and on caudal peduncle each with a slightly raised crest at center, these forming series of ridges along 
the side. First dorsal spine strong, blunt and rough, its length about 2 in head; second dorsal spine 
shorter and much weaker, its length scarcely more than one-third that of first; third dorsal spine 
remote from the second and very short, not extending above the dorsal groove; soft dorsal gently 
rounded, its rays of approximately equal length, the longest equaling distance from tip of snout to 
posterior edge of eye; base of soft dorsal slightly greater than distance from tip of snout to posterior 
base of first dorsal spine, or equaling distance from tip of snout to lower base of pectoral axil; anal 
