138 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



other. This peculiarity of structure occurs in both genera of Stromateus and Rhombus, and 

 has been described as the stomach. Vertebra thirty-one. 



The dorsal fin has three spinous and forty-five rays, of which the six first are longest, the 

 posterior branched ; before the dorsal is a recumbent spine, directed forward. Pectorals long 

 and pointed. Anterior to this fin, is a broad acutely tipped movable spine ; and before this, 

 a broad axe-shaped moveable plate or spine (see figure), occupying the place of the ventrals. 

 Caudal fin deeply forked. 



Color. Brilliant metallic green, blue and golden. Deep blue on the back, which in the 

 living specimen is obscurely mottled. Head and opercle golden green ; belly and anal, in 

 certain lights, giving a glistening pinkish hue. Irides bluish and white. 



Length, 3-0-9-0. 



Fin rays, D. 3.45; P. 19; A. 3.42; C. 19 f. 



This fish is equally remarkable for the splendor of its coloring, and its excellence as an 

 article of food ; although many fishermen consider them unfit for eating, on account of the 

 unpleasant odor which they emit when opened. They are believed to feed chiefly on marine 

 plants. I found the oesophagus, in many which I opened, filled with pebbles about the size 

 of a pin's head. When taken out of the water at night, I am told that they emit vivid phos- 

 phoric flashes. It has been conjectured, though upon very insufficient grounds, that this is 

 the male of the preceding species. 



Their known geographic range is at present limited. Peck described them on the coast of 

 New-Hampshire, and Dr. Storer speaks of them as being so abundant at Cape Cod as to be 

 used as manure. How far south of New-York they have been seen, I have no means of 

 ascertaining ; but it probably extends far to the southward, as its congener the longipinnis, 

 with which it appears to be constantly associated, is extremely common on the coast of the 

 Carolinas. This species appears with us about the first of July, and I have obtained them 

 from fike-nets in the harbor of New-York as late as the twelfth of October. 



{EXTRA-L1MITAL. ) 



Genus Pteraclis, Cuv. et Val. Dorsal and anal fins each more than twice the height of the body, 

 and extending from before the eyes to the caudal fin. Body elongated, compressed, and with 

 large scales. 



P. carolinus. (Cuv. et Val. Vol. 9, p. 368.) Silvery, with bluish reflections. Fourth dorsal ray 

 longest. D. 52 ; A. 44. Length four inches. Seacoasl of Carolina. 



In concluding the history of this family, we have to notice a statement made by the author 

 of a popular essay on the fishes of Massachusetts, in which he notices the common Dory of 

 Europe, the Zeus fab er, Lin., to have been detected in Boston bay. We are not aware that 

 this fact is confirmed by the observations of any American naturalist. 



The tenth family of T.enioid.e, or CEfoLiD.E, has no representative on the coast of New- 

 York. 



