48 Cockerell — The Scales of the Atherinid Fishes. 



field without circuli; basal and lateral fields with strong circuli, 

 not very dense ( least so laterallj' ) ; basal margin with a prominent 

 median lobe, bounded on each side by a shallow fold, but no basal 

 radii. Scales of caudal peduncle similar but nearly square, 

 with strong laterobasal angles, and five strong basal radii. The 

 scales are very suggestive of those of Scomber chrysozonus (proba- 

 bly better called RastrcUiger chrysozonus, as I learn from Dr. 

 Jordan), but the latter has no basal lobe, and has strong trans- 

 verse circuli in the apical field. In general, liowever, the resem- 

 blance is most striking. 



(2.) Menidia menidla (h.). Cape Charles City, Va., above moutli of 

 King's Creek. Scales (from the usual situation on middle of side) 

 about 2% mm. long and ?)}{ broad ; nucleus central ; apical margin 

 simple, entire; no apical radii; apical field with dense rather ill- 

 defined circuli ; lateral field with widely spaced circuli ; basal field 

 with strong circuli and 8 or 9 .strong radii, M'hich, however, do not 

 nearly reach the margin; basal lobe slightly indicated. Scales 

 from caudal peduncle nearly square with strong posterior corners 

 and numerous strong basal radii. 



(3.) Menidia notata (Mitch.). Wareham River, Mass., ])ractically in 

 fresh water. Scales hardly 2 mm. long, about 2j^' broad ; formed 

 as in M. menidia, except that there are about 8 strong basal radii, 

 which reach the margin, producing the characteristic scalloping. 

 Scale from caudal peduncle differing as in the others. 



(4. ) Menidia peninsulw (Goode and Bean). Sebastian River, Fla. (Peli- 

 can Islands). Scales about 2 mm. long and 2% broad; structure 

 as in the other species of Menidia, except that the basal radii ( 7 

 or 8), while reaching the margin, which they irregularly scallop, 

 fail centrad, being in general less well developed than tliose of M. 

 notata. Scale from caudal peduncle diff"ering as in the others. 



Kirtlandia and Meyiidia offer excellent generic differences in their scales; 

 Kirtlandia is, of course, the more Scomber-Vike. 



The Atherinidse belong to the Percesoces, a suborder of which Jordan 

 and Evermann say: " The suborder marks a transition from soft-raj-ed 

 to spiny-rayed fishes, its nearest associates among the latter being, per- 

 haps, the Scombrid forms." The Scombriform character of the scales, 

 with a combination of Perciform features, is therefore of much interest. 



