450 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 



with numerous horny, barbed or hooked teeth. Gills 4, a slit behind 

 the fourth, ('.ill-membranes either free or more or less joined to the 

 isthmus. Gill-rakers rather long. Pseudobranchirc present. Cheeks 

 scaly. I'reopercle entire or serrate. Lateral line well developed. Dor- 

 sal tin single, long, with the spines few or weak, often obsolete ; anal fin 

 long, similar to the soft dorsal, usually with three small spines, which 

 are often depressible in a fold of skin ; ventrals thoracic or jugular, 

 normally I, 5, but sometimes reduced or altogether wanting ; caudal tin 

 lunate or forked. Usually no air-bladder. Pyloric coeca commonly nu- 

 merous Vertebrae more than 10 -f 14. Genera about 5; species 25-30. 

 Small fishes, found in most warm seas. The two subfamilies, both repre- 

 sented in our waters, differ widely from each other in general appear- 

 ance, but agree in the singular character of teeth in the oesophagus. 



(Scombridcc and Carangidce, pt. Giinther, ii, 397-404, 485. Genera Siromateus, Centro- 

 Jophus, ami Pammelas.) 



* Ventral fins minute or absent; opercular bones entire; scales minute; caudal fin 



forked; premaxillaries not protractile. (Skromatevnce.) 

 a. Caudal peduncle not keeled; gill-membranes free from tbo isthmus. 



STIJOMATEUS, 232. 

 ** Ventral fins well developed; V.I, 5; scales moderate ; premaxillarics protractile; 



caudal lunate. (Ccntrolophince.) 



1). Dorsal spines short and stout; preopercle, intcropercle, and subopercle finely 

 serrate LlKUS, 233. 



232. ST 310^1 ATE US Linnanis. 



Harvest Fishes. 



(Pcprilus and Rhombnn Cnvicr: Poronotus Gill.) 

 (Artedi; Liima'iis, Syst. Nat. : type Stromatcus fiatola L.) 



I '.mly ovate or suborbicular, strongly compressed, tapering into a 

 slender caudal pedunele, \\liich is not keeled or shielded. Head short, 

 compiessrd, the proiilf obtuse. Mouth small, terminal, the jaws sub- 

 equal. I'reaiaxillaries not > protractile. .Jaws each with a single series 

 of weak ti-eth. Scales very small, cycloid, silvery, loosely inserted, 

 extending on the vertical fins. ( );>"rc:ilar hones entire. < nil-mem- 

 branes separate, free from the isthmus; gill-rakers moderate. Lateral 

 line continuous, concurrent witii the buck. Dorsal tin long, more or 

 lc^ elevated in front, preceded by a few indistinct spines usually one 

 or more procumbent spines in Iron) of dorsal and anal, each of these 

 with a free point hotli antei iorly and posteriorly; anal tin similar to 

 dor>al.or .shorter, usually with three small spines; ventral fins wanting 

 in the adult, a rudiment sometiaies visible in the young; a single small, 



