6fi ATHERIMD;E MENIDIA.. 407 



lower jaw short ; m axillary slipping entirely under pr. orbital; jaws each, 

 with a band of simple, usually villiform teeth. Premaxiilaries very freely 

 protractile*, their spines comparatively long, nearly equal to the eye, 

 extending backward beneath a fold of skin which connects the bases of 

 the maxillaries; posterior part of prernaxillaries broad. No teeth on 

 vorner or palatines. Scales entire, or with the edges crenate orlaciniate. 

 Species numerous, of moderate or smnll size, some of them entering 

 fresh waters. (Ulcnidia, an old name of some small silvery fish, from. 

 ;j.r^r h the moon.) 



(iiO. J?I. toosca (C. & V.) J. & G. 



Clear transparent green; sides with a well-defined silvery bind, 

 diameter of the eye ; back and chin with large, black dots. Eye large, 3-V 

 in head, a little longer than snout. Scales firm, their edges strongly 

 creuate, those on the back laciniate. Upper jaw the longer. First dor- 

 sal very feeble, over the beginning of the anal, rather nearer the tip of 

 the caudal than the snout. Distance from first to second dorsal length 

 of head. Pectorals reaching ventrals, nearly as long as the head. 

 Ventrals falling far short of the base of the first dorsal ; second dorsal 

 very short. Teeth short, even, forming a narrow villiform band. Head 

 4i| ; depth 5i. D. IV-I, <S; A. 1, 22; scales 45-7. L. 5 inches. Atlantic 

 Coast of the United States, chiefly southward; abundant. 



(Athcrlna m-cnidia Linn. Syst. Nat.: Al,hcrinabosciCu.v. etVal. x, 4G3, 1835: Aiherina 

 menidia DeKay, New York Fauna, Fish. 142: Atherinichthys menidia et uolala Gimther. 

 iii, 403.) 



64 i. 31. vajjrasas (Goode & Bean) J. & G. 



Silvery streak occupying the lower two-thirds of the third and the 

 upper two-thirds of the fourth series of scales. Eye 3 in head, as long- 

 as lower jaw, greater than snout and less than interorbital width. Pre- 

 maxillaries freely protractile ; teeth rather strong. Scales laciniate on 

 the back, nearly entire laterally. First dorsal inserted opposite the 

 space between the anal fin and the vent, nearer base of caudal than 

 snout. Pectoral about as long as head. Caudal slightly forked, the 

 lobes equal. Vertical fins excessively scaly. Head 5; depth 5f D. 

 V-I, 7; A. I, 18; scales 48-7. L. 4 inches. Virginia to Gulf of Mexico. 



(Chirostoma ragrans Goodo & Beau, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1879, 148.) 



642, M, raaftnta (Mitch.) J. & G.Silverside. 



Transparent green, with a lateral silvery band half the width of the 



* We have been able to verify this character ou only a few of the foreign species. 

 "Wo are therefore uncertain whether the bulk of the species referred by Dr. Giiuther 

 to "Aiherinichthys" belong to Menidia or to Atherinopyin. 



