36 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



tbeir manuer of swimming resembles that of the Menhaden, in their 

 other habits they more closely resemble our own Bluefish. They are 

 considered to be food-fishes of fair quality, and attain the length of 

 about 12 inches. They are supposed to spawn about the same time as 

 the Mackerel. Only a single specimen of this species has ever been 

 taken on the east coast of the United States, this having been obtained 

 by the Fish Commission from Southern New England in 1878. In Cali- 

 fornia, according to Jordan, it is an abundant species, and is there com- 

 monly known as the Horse Mackerel. He remarks : 



" It reaches a length of about a foot and a weight of less than a pound. 

 It ranges from Monterey southward, appearing in the summer, remain- 

 ing in the spawning season, and disappearing before December. It ar- 

 rives at Santa Barbara in July and at Monterey in August. In late 

 summer it is exceedingly abundant. It forms part of the food of larger 

 fishes, and great numbers are salted for bait. As a food-fish it is held 

 in low esteem, but whether this is due entirely to its small size we do 

 not know. A similar species has been described from San Diego, under 

 the name of Caranx hoops Grd. It is unknown to us." 



The Thread-Fish. 



{Blepharis crinitus.) 



This fish, also known as the Shoemaker Fish, is found along our coast 

 from Cape Cod to the Caribbean Sea. In South America and also in 

 California it is of no economic importance, but on account of its strange 

 shape and the long thread-like apj)endages to its fins, which float behind 

 it to the distance of five or six times its own length, it is often brought 

 to the markets as a curiosity. 



The Pompanoes {Trachynotus carolinus) and other species. 



There are four species of Pompano in the Western Atlantic, very 

 similar to each other in general appearance, but easily distinguished by 

 differences in x)roportion and in the number of fin rays. 



The commonest species, the Carolina Pompano, Trachynotus carolinus, 

 has the height of the body contained two to two and two-thirds times 

 in the total length. The length of the head, five to five and one-third 

 times, one of the caudal lobes four times; it has 24 to 25 rays in the sec- 

 ond dorsal, while the anterior rays of the true dorsal and anal fins, if 

 laid backward, reach to the middle of the fin. 



The Round Pompano ( T. ovatus) has the height of the body contained 

 two to two and one-third times in the total length ; the length of the 

 head, five to five and one-fourth times; one of the caudal lobes, three and 

 a half to four times. In the second dorsal are from 18 to 21 rays, in the 

 second anal from 16 to 19, while in the Carolina Pompano there are 21 

 to 22. 



The African Pompano (T. goreensis) resembles in general form the 



