404 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY - IV. 



dorsal* and anal fins covorocl with small scales; pectoral fins mostly 

 naked, inserted high. Coloration bluish above; the sides silvery, without 

 conspicuous dark stripes, bat with shining streaks along the rows of 

 scales; a dusky blotch at the base of the pectoral; tips of caudal and 

 soft dorsal Mackish. Head 4; depth 4. D. IV-I, 8; A. Ill, 9; scales 

 .".s-i-j; vert. 11 + 13. Cape Cod to South America, and Lower Califor- 

 nia: abundant; on our Atlantic coast, usually reaching- a smaller size 

 than Muyil 



(Agassi/ Spix. Pise. Brazil, 234 : 1/V//7 cim-ma and Minil petrosus Cuv. & Val. xi, 

 87,81); Giiuther, iii, 1:31: Aluyil liiicatua Ston-r, Hist. Fish. Mass.) 



FAMILY LXVL ATIIKRINID.E. 



(TJie Silvcraidcs.) 



Body rather elongate, somewhat compressed, covered with cycloid 

 scales of moderate or small size. No lateral line ; some scales often 

 with rudimentary mucous tubes. Cleft of the mouth moderate. Teeth 

 small, on jaws and sometimes on vomer and palatines, rarely wanting. 

 Premaxillaries protractile or not. Opercular bones without spines or 

 serrature. Gill openings wide, the gill-membranes not connected, free 

 from the isthmus. Gills 4, a slit behind the fourth. Pseudobranchi;e 

 present. Gill-rakers usually long and slender, l.ranchiostegals 5 or 0. 

 Dorsal fins 2, well separated, the first of 3-3 feeble, flexible spines, the 

 second of soft rays. Anal with a weak spine, similar to the solt dorsal, 

 but usually larger. Ventral fins small, abdominal, not far back, of 1 

 small spine and 5 soft rays. Pectorals moderate, inserted high. Air- 

 bladder present. No pylorie co?ea. Caudal and abdominal vertebra- very 

 numerous. < 'arnivorous fishes, mostly of small sixe, living in great 

 schools near the shore in temperate and tropical seas; a few species in 

 fresh water; nearly all the species have a silvery band along the side. 

 Genera about S; species f0. 

 il. Ciiutli.-r, iii, 



a. rivni:i\ill:irii-> In-rly pmi rarl ilc (tlirir skin not cmil iiiumis \vitli that nf tin- fmv- 



head). 



h. I'rrin;i\ill:iry ii:nru\v, itsnl^i- nc.-irly M r:ii-lil ; tn-lli on VHIIHT. . Al nr.KlNA, 10i>. 

 ih. I'rrinnxilliiry lirn.-nl |iostcrior]y, its rd^r . nrvcd ; nn Irrih on voincr. 

 c. Tci-ili in. IH- ............................................... Li-:ri:r:sTiii:s, 1H7. 



iiinl :nial jmrlly iiaUnl, |"-<'l(ii ;il \\liollyso in specimens from North Caro- 

 lina; dorsal and anal dmsrly sral\ . [xrlural mostly scaly in sncvimnis I'rom A 

 MI-X., ntluTwisr similar. 



