94 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



51. AJIIA Linnaeus. 



Boic-Jins. 

 (Amiattts Rafmesque.) 



(Linn. S\-t. Nat. i-.l. xii, ITt'.il: type Amiacalra L.) 



Characters of tin- -mus included above. (/', ancient name of some 

 Jisli. probably the bonito, Sarda mlif< rrdnea; said to be from a, priva- 

 tive, and :. (inc. the lish living in schools.) 



3. A. ca!v:i L. Mud-ji*h ; Dog-fish; Bow-fin ; Grindlc; "John A. Grindle" ; Lawyer 

 Dark olive or blackish above, paler below; sides with traces of 

 dark reiiciilate markings; lower jaw and gular plate often with round 

 blackish spots. Fins mostly dark, somewhat mottled. Male with a 

 round black spot at base of caudal above, this surrounded by an orange 

 or yellowish shade. In the female tli is spot is wanting. Lateral line 

 nearly median, directed slightly upward at each (Mid. D. -IS (4li-r>3) ; 

 A. in-U; V. 7 ; Lat. 1. <17 ((5.V70). Head 3% in length; depth -1 to 4A. 

 Male about 18 inches in length ; female 24 or more. Gront Lakes and 

 slavish waters from Minnesota to Virginia, Florida, and Texas ; abund- 

 ant. A voracious lish of remarkable, tenacity of life. The flesh is pecu- 

 liarly soil and pasty, and is of no value for food. 



I. on. Syst. Nat. J (Siinlhcr, vii. :!-J.">: .'I tnin inrUii-tiuda Richardson, Fauna Bor.-Amer. 

 iii, 2:>(i ( $ ): Amia oct-idt-ntaH* lick;iy, New York Fauna, Fish. '2159.) 







SUBCLASS PHYSOSTOMI. 



(The Koft-raycti Fishes.) 



Skeleton bony. A'cntral fins (if ]iresent ) abdominal, with the basal 

 aicnts riidiineiital. Parietal bones usually united. Air Madder (if 

 present) connected by an air-duct with the (esophagus. Scales mostly 

 c\doid. Lateral line usually running low. Parietal bones usually 

 united. PrflBCOracoid generally ]>resent. Kays of lins all soft and artic- 

 ulated, except occasionally one or two of the anterior rays of any iin, 

 which nia\ he spinoiis. Lateral margins of upper jaw usn. illy formed 

 by the maxillaries. I'ectoral tin placed low, generally near the ventral 



line. 



This group correspond^ essentially to the Malacoptcri Abdominalcs of 

 dilVerent auth(rs, the (\i/,'l<>;,l, i o f Professor Agassiz. Although the 

 typical members of this group dill'er in many ways from the more special- 



