DISCUSSION OF SPECIES AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION. 219 



Thanks to the length of these scales, four, five, or six of them arc sufficient to span the 

 height of the trunk, one of such a series being crossed by the lateral line, where itspres- 

 ence is denoted by a raised ridge. 



The leading scales on the body, above as well as below, arc shorter, and where carried 

 (in to the head are doubly as linn as those found at the fin rays. 



Without having done more than counted the scales in a longitudinal line, I calculate 

 that the number is considerably above 200; those of the head, although shorter, have the 

 same form as those of the trunk. There are no scales upon the tins. 



'flie caudal peduncle develops neither a cartilaginous nor an osseous plate at its sides. 

 Posterior to the anus the ventral keel is rough. 



The cranium is more cartilaginous in structure than it is osseous, except the frontals, 

 which are rugose in line in the supraorbital region, and bristly in front, as are the turbinate 

 and suborbitals; these latter are four in number, the last three being very slender. There 

 are two supratemporals. 



The inferior mandible is characterized by several rows of minute spines upon the den- 

 tary and articular elements. The vertebrae number 10 plus 30. 



The anterior neural spine is not excavated, being lofty and smooth ; the five that follow 

 aii' short and inclined backwards. The remaining ones are slender, which applies also to 

 i heir heemapophyses. The last vertebra is without lateral spines. 



The pleurapoplryses are inconspicuous, feebly developed, and have much the same size 

 and shape, as the epipleurals. I discover but one pseudo-interneural spine in front of the 

 one that supports the first dorsal fin ray. (Shufeldt.) 



Eadial formula: D. (», 34; A. 2, 33; V. I, G; P. 15; C. 1, 13-1. 



A single specimen of this remarkable fish was obtained by Poey, at Cuba, in 1872. 



An elaborate anatomical study has been made by Dr. Shufeldt. 



Family NOMEIDAE, Gunther. 



Nomeina, Gunther, Cat. Fish, Brit. Mus., n, 387. 



Komi uUb, Gill, Air. Families Fishes 1872, 10 (No. 91). — Jordan and Gilbert, Bull, xvi, U. S. Nat. Mus., 448. 

 A family of telencephalons fishes related to the mackerels. The body is oblong, enm- 

 [tressed, and covered with cycloid scales; the lateral line continuous and unarmed; the 

 head compressed; the opercula unarmed; the nostrils double; the mouth with a lateral 

 cleft, upper jaw scarcely protractile; teeth small and conical, on the palateas well as jaws; 

 branchial apertures extensive; branchiostegal rays 5 or <i; dorsal more or less divided, 

 and with the spinous portion shorter than the soft. The skeleton has numerous vertebra} 

 (in Womem 16+25); the stomach very numerous pyloric appendages. 



This family has been constituted for the reception of several genera, at one time referred 

 to the Scombridae, viz, \'<>ui<iis, Gasteroschisma, Gubiceps, Seriolella and Platystethus. The 

 species arc all marine, and found in tropical or warm temperate seas. The last two are 

 represented only in the Australian and Polynesian waters. 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



Ventrala long, surpassing the pectorals. 



Mouth narrow. — Ventrala long and broad, attached to abdomen. 



Teeth on jaws, vomer and palatines Nomeus 



Teeth on jaws only Ha lhyseriola 



Mouth wide. Ventrala very long, receivable in abdominal groove. New Zealand. 



[ Gajbi eroschisma I 

 lVi-toral- long, surpassing ventral s ; snout inflated; teeth small PSENES 



NOMEUS, Cuvier. 



Nomeus, Covier, Regne Animal, ed. x. ist7.ii. p. 315. — Cuvier a Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., ix> 

 242.— Gunther, Cat, Fish. Brit. Mus., u, p. 887. 



Body oblong, much compressed, with cycloid scales of moderate size. Lateral line 

 placed high, not armed. Head with occipital crest but slightly developed: cleft of the 



