40. SALMONID.E - OSMERUS. 293 



lary broad, its edge strongly cnrved, extending to opposite posterior 

 margin of pupil. Premaxillary on the level of upper part of pupil. 

 Mandible projecting, -its tip somewhat curved upward. Eye longer 

 than snout, 4 in head. Fins high, the pectorals usually reaching ven- 

 trals, and the ventrals to anal ; anal reaching about to caudal. Teeth 

 weak; maxillary teeth scarcely visible. Head 4i; depth 5-5-. D. 9; A. 

 18; P. 11. Lat. 1. GO. L. 9 inches. Pacific coast from San Francisco 

 northward; rather common. 



(Ayres, Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. 1860, 62; Giinther, vi, 168.) 



O. aitensaalus Lockiugton. 



Greenish, sides silvery. Body elongate, compressed. Head rather 

 long, somewhat pointed ; maxillary extending past pupil ; lower jaw 

 projecting; maxillary rather narrow, little convex. Outline of both 

 jaws nearly straight, less curved than in 0. tkaleichthys. Teeth on 

 tongue strong, but much smaller than in 0. mordax ; teeth on maxil- 

 lary conspicuous; front of both jaws with rather strong teeth; pala- 

 tine teeth variable, usually strong. Eye large, 4 in head. Fins low. 

 Pectorals not reaching ventral s, nor ventrals anal, nor anal to caudal. 

 Head 4; depth G. D. 10; A. 15-17; P. 11. Lat. 1. G5. L. 10 inches. 

 Coast of California ; not rare. Very close to 0. thaleichthys, but proba- 

 bly distinct. 



(Lockington, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 66.) 



aa. Vorner witli 2-4 strong fang-like teeth; species ascending rivers. 



4O. O. niordtlX (Mitch.) Gill. American Smelt. 



Transparent greenish above, silvery on sides ; body and fins with 

 some dark punctulations. Body rather long and slender. Head large, 

 with l.;rge mouth and stronger teeth than in the other species of the 

 genus. Small teeth along the edge of the maxillary; strong fang-like 

 teeth on tongue and front of vomer ; cardiform teeth on palatines, ptery- 

 goids, and hyoid bone j mandible with moderate teeth, its tip projecting. 

 Scales deciduous. Dorsal fin rather posterior, the ventrals under its 

 front. Lower fins moderate, none reaching the next behind it. Gill- 

 rakers two-thirds diameter of eye. Head 4; depth 6J. D. 10; A. 15; 

 P. 13. Lat. 1. GS. L. 1:5 inches. Atlantic coast from Virginia north- 

 ward, entering streams and often land-locked. Very close to the 

 European 0. eperlanus, but the latter has larger scales (Lat. 1. GO), 

 shorter gill-rakers, and rather weaker teeth. 



(Atherina mordax Mitchill, Trans. Lit. &Phil. Soc. N. Y. 1814, 446: Osmerus viridescens 

 Le Sueur, Jonru. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. i, 230: Osmerus viridescens Giinther, vi, 107.) 



