THE HEAD-FISHES Family LXV. Molidae BODY short and deep, or oblong, compressed, truncate behind, so that there is no caudal peduncle; skin rough, naked, spinous or tessellated; mouth very small, terminal; teeth completely united in each jaw, forming a bony beak without median suture; dorsal and anal fins similar, falcate in front, the posterior parts more or less confluent with the caudal fin; no spinous dorsal; no ventrals, pelvic bones undeveloped; pectoral fins present; belly not inflatable; gill-openings small, in front of the pectorals; an accessory opercular gill; no air-bladder. Fishes of the open seas, seeming to be composed of a big head to which small fins are attached. There are 3 genera and about 6 species, all pelagic, found in most warm seas, and reaching a very large size. Two genera with 1 species each found in our limits. a. Body suborbicular, not twice as long as deep; skin thick, rough, gristly, without hexagonal plates; .......Mola aa. Body oblong, about twice as long as deep; skin smooth, tessellated, with smooth hexagonal plates; ..........Ranzania The genus Mola contains a single species, Mola mola, one of the most remarkable among fishes, known as sunfish, headfish, mola, and pez luna, and found in most warm seas. It ranges as far north as England, Cape Cod and San Francisco. It is one of the largest of all fishes reaching a weight of nearly a ton. The largest example on record was taken at Redondo Beach, California, in June, 1893, and was mounted by Mr. T. Shooter of Los Angeles. It was 8 feet 2 inches long and weighed 1800 pounds, The sunfish are not rare on our Atlantic Coast where they may be seen on almost any calm summer day. They float lazily with one of the bright sides just at the surface, the waves rippling and breaking over them, and the heavy pectoral fin moving slowly to and fro through the air; thus lying they are very conspicuous objects and may be seen long distances. They spend whole days in this position, and may be easily approached and harpooned. From this habit of sunning itself it has received its vernacular name. As a food-fish it possesses little value, but oil is sometimes made from their livers. The genus Ranzania contains 2 or more species, one of which, R. truncata, is found occasionally off our Atlantic Coast. It reaches only about 2 feet in length. A similar species, R. makua, has recently been described from the Hawaiian Islands by Dr. Jenkins. It occurs also in Japan.