412 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY - IV. 



S. piccida I.loeh & Schneider. Picuda ; Barracuda. 

 Origin of iirst dorsal opposite veutrals, fur in advance of the middle 

 of the body, at t he tip of the pectorals. Interspace between dorsals one- 

 fifth of total length. Pectoral fins one-eleventh of total length. Scales 

 large. Head ;U in total length; depth 7. D. Y-I, 9; A. I, 0; scales 

 H-s:j-l5. Vertebrae 12 + 12. L. 3i feet. (Giinthcr.) West Indies, 

 north to Florida. 



(Blocli & Schneider, 1*01, 110: S^iiinnin l-irranuln Cnv. & Val. iii, 34t}; Ciiuthcr, 

 ii, :53-J; Goocle & Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns. l.-7 ( J, 14C>.) 



FAMILY LXVIIL POLYXEMIDJE. 



(The Thrcad-Jins.) 



Body oblong, compressed, covered with rather large scales, which are 

 feebly ciliated or smooth; lateral line continuous, extending on the cau- 

 dal flu. Head entirely scaly; snout conic, projecting over the horizontal 

 mouth, which is rather large, the maxillary extending to beyond the eye. 

 Eye lateral, anterior, large, with a largo adipose eyelid. Villiform teet h 

 on ja\\ s and palatines and usually on vomer also. Pseudobranchise con- 

 cealed. I>ra:ichiostegals 7. Gill-membranes separate, free from isth- 

 mus. Gills 4, a slit behind fourth. Dorsal fins 2, well separated, as 

 in the 7Vm";ore\, the first of about 7 feeble but rather high spines, the 

 second rather larger, of soft rays. Anal fin similar to the soft dorsal, 

 sometimes larger; caudal fin widely forked; second dorsal, anal, and 

 caudal fins usually covered with small scales; ventrals I, 5, thoracic, 

 but pi. iced well behind the pectorals; pectoral fins moderate, placed 

 low, divided into two parts, the lower and anterior portion composed 

 of several filiform articulated appendages, free from each other, organs 

 of touch. Dones of skull with a well-developed mneifcrons system, as 

 in SciccnidCB. IJasis cranii double, with tube ; post-temporal bifurcate : 

 scapula with median foramen; superior pharyngeal bones I, third 

 largest, narrow, directed forward. Masai pectoral bones divided; two 

 normal^ supporting the I'm, one longitudinal without rays, and one a 

 plate on the coracoid, supporting elongate rays. Stomach cu-cal, with 

 a few pylorie appendages. Air-bladder various, sometimes wanting. 

 Vertebra- L' I. ( ieiiera .". : species L'."). Tropical seas. A singular group, 

 in some respects intermediate between Hc!<nti<l<r and MmjUidn^ but not 

 closely related to any other of our fishes. ]\Iost of them are valued as 

 food fishes. 



. ii. 



a. Vo:inT \viili ici-ili ; ]>n-o|M-rr]c si-i-rali-: anal tin not much larger than SOCOnd dor- 



sal ...................................................... I'OI.YNKMUS, 2U'3. 



