358 NEW YORK STATE MUSEtUM 



three fourths of length of head; the caudal peduncle long and 

 slender, its least depth about one third the length of head ; width 

 of body about one half the length of head; head short, pointed, 

 its length one fifth of the total without caudal; snout slightly 

 shorter than eye, about three and one fourth in length of head; 

 margin of upper jaw formed chiefly by the curved preniaxillary, 

 which is nearly as long as the eye; eye equal to interorbital space, 

 and one third as long as the head; two rows of scales under the 

 eye; exposed part of maxilla two fifths as long as the eye; dorsal 

 origin nearly midway between tip of snout and base of middle 

 caudal rays, base of dorsal about as long as eye, longest dorsal 

 spine one third as long as the head, fifth dorsal spine one fifth 

 as long as head, interspace between the two dorsals contained 

 1O| times in total length without caudal, second dorsal base one 

 half as long as head, longest dorsal ray equal to eye and 

 snout combined, last dorsal ray equal in length to snout; anal 

 origin under end of spinous dorsal, also under 25th scale of 

 lateral line, anal base three elevenths of total length without 

 caudal, corresponding with 15 rows of scales, longest anal ray 

 equal to snout and eye combined, last anal ray one fourth as long 

 a,s head. The vent is under the last spine of the dorsal. The 

 ventrals are distant from the end of the head a space equal to 

 length of head, length of ventral equal to snout and eye com- 

 bined, 15 rows of scales between ventral origin and throat. 

 Middle caudal rays about one half as long as head, external rays 

 five sixths as long as head, the fin deeply forked. The silvery 

 band nowhere covering more than the width of one scale, though 

 not limited to one row. 



Translucent green; lateral band silvery, mostly on the level 

 of the eye, its width less than one half the diameter of eye. 

 Scales of upper parts with dark dots along their edges; chin 

 speckled. 



The common silversides 'grows to a length of 6 inches. 



The silversides was first made known by Dr Mitchill under the 

 name of small silverside, Atherina notata, and he des- 

 cribed the young of the same species as the green-sided silver- 

 side, Atherina viridescens. Dr De Kay states that the 



