278 Cavallas and Pampanos 



or less certainty. Aipichthys pretiosus and other species occur 

 in the Cretaceous. These are deep-bodied fishes resembling 

 Seriola, having the falcate dorsal twice as long as the anal and 

 the ventral ridge with thickened scales. Vomeropsis (longispina 

 elongata, etc.), also from the Eocene, with rounded caudal, 

 the anterior dorsal rays greatly elongate, and the supraoccipital 

 crest highly developed, probably constitutes with it a distinct 

 family, Vomeropsidce. Several species referable to Carangus 

 are found in the Miocene. Archaus glarisianus, resembling 

 Carangus, but without scales so far as known, is found in the 

 Oligocene of Glarus; Seriola prisca and other species of Seriola 

 occur in the Eocene; Carangopsis brevis, etc., allied to Caranx, 

 but with the lateral line unarmed, is recorded from the Eocene 

 of France and Italy. 



Ductor leptosomus from the Eocene of Monte Bolca 

 resembles Naucrates; Trachinotus tenuiceps is recorded from 

 Monte Bolca, and a species of uncertain relationship, called 

 Pseudovomer minutus, with sixteen caudal vertebrae is taken 

 from the Miocene of Licata. 



The Papagallos: Nematistiidae. Very close to the Carangidce, 

 and especially to the genus Seriola, is the small family of 

 Nematistiidce, containing the papagallo, Nematistius pectoralis 

 of the west coast of Mexico. This large and beautiful fish has 

 the general appearance of an amber-fish, but the dorsal spines 

 are produced in long filaments. The chief character of the 

 family is found in the excessive division of the rays of the 

 pectoral fins. 



The Bluefishes: Cheilodipteridse. Allied to the Carangidcs is 

 the family of bluefishes (Cheilodipteridcs , or Pomatomidoe}. The 

 single species Cheilodipterus saltatrix, or Pomatomus saltatrix, 

 known as the bluefish, is a large, swift, extremely voracious fish, 

 common throughout most of the warmer parts of the Atlantic, 

 but very irregularly distributed on the various coasts. Its 

 distribution is doubtless related to its food. It is more abun- 

 dant on our Eastern coast than anywhere else, and its chief 

 food here is the menhaden. The bluefish differs from the 

 Carangidcs mainly in its larger scales, and in a slight serration 

 of the bones of the head. Its flesh is tender and easily torn. 

 As a food-fish, rich, juicy, and delicate, it has few superiors. 



