74. SCOMBRID.E SARD A. 427 



673. S. cnbalia (Cuv. & Val.) J. & G. Sierra. 



Sides of body with indistinct darker yellowish spots ; adult immacu- 

 late; spinous dorsal without black blotch anteriorly. Eye large. 

 Mouth large, maxillary reaching to below eye. Lateral line descend- 

 ing abruptly below the second dorsal. Teeth triangular, strongly com- 

 pressed, about 30-25. Pectoral scaly at base only. D. XI V-1, 15-VIII ; 

 A. II, 15-VIII. (Poey.) Warm parts of the Atlantic; occasional on 

 our coast; reaches a weight of 100 pounds. 



(Cybium caballa Cuv. & Val. viii, 1831, 187: Cybium caballa Giinther, ii, 373: Cybium 

 immaculatum C. & V. viii, 191 : Cybium caballa Poey, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1878, 4.} 



216. SAKE* A Cuvier. 

 Bonitos. 



(Pelamys Cuv. & Val. 1831, preoccupied iu Herpetology. ) 



(Cuvier, Regne Anim. cd. 2d, ii, 1829: type Scomber pelamys Brunnicli= Scomber sarda 

 Blocli.) 



Body rather elongate, covered with small scales, those of the pectoral 

 region forming a corselet. Caudal peduncle slender, strongly keeled. 

 Head large, pointed, compressed. Mouth large. Teeth iu the jaws 

 rather strong, conical, slightly compressed; similar teeth on the pala- 

 tines, but none on thevomer; maxillary not concealed by preorbital. 

 Gill-rakers long and strong. First dorsal long and rather low, of 18-22 

 rather stout spines, which are gradually shortened behind; interval 

 between the last spine and the second dorsal short; second dorsal small, 

 followed by 8-9 fiulets; anal fin similar, usually with one less fiulet; 

 paired fins small ; pectorals placed below the level of the pupil. No 

 air-bladder. Pyloric cosca very numerous, dendritical. Vertebrae nor- 

 mal. Fishes of rather large size, with metallic coloration. (Latin, 

 sarda ; Greek, adf>oa, the ancient name of the typical species, also known, 

 as Amia, Pelamys, etc. ; so called from its being taken in the neighbor- 

 hood of the island of Sardinia; hence also the diminutive ffapdbr], the 

 Sardine.) 



674. S. medBterranea (Blocli & Schneider) J. & G. Bonito; Skip-jack. 



Dark steel-blue above, with numerous narrow, dark stripes from the 

 back obliquely downwards and forwards ; silvery below. Body elongate, 

 scarcely compressed, robust ; corselet distinct, small, not extending be- 

 yond pectoral. Teeth moderate, slightly compressed. Gill-rakers rather 

 small, 13 below angle. Maxillary reaching beyond orbit. Head 3| iu 

 length; depth 4. D. XXI-I, 13-VIII; A. I, 13-VII; P. 10. L.2 feet. 



