80 BOARD OF AGRICULTUEE. 



Sub-class Teleostei. ScoMBEiuasociDiE. 



ered with small scales; but the principal character consists in a row of separated, 

 pointed, cutting teeth in each jaw; behind the upper ones is a row of smaller 

 teeth, and there are some fine as velvet on the vomer, palate and tongue. The 

 operculum terminates in two points, and there are seven branchiostegous rays. 



Temnodon salfafor. Storer. 

 Bluefish. Skip-jack. 

 This species of fish seems to have an historical interest on ac- 

 count of its great abundance, at times, and then disappearing as to 

 great numbers for many succeeding years. It is a great scourge 

 to the herring and mackerel fisheries when they appear among 

 them, as it eats them voraciously and becomes fat upon them. It 

 It is rather a handsome fish and sometimes grows to the weight 

 14 pounds. Storer describes its colors as bluish on upper part of 

 the body ; greenish tinge upon the side and abdomen. Iris is yel- 

 low. Pectorals of a greenish yellow with a deep black blotch at 

 their base. Second dorsal and caudal fins are likewise of a green- 

 ish brown color. Ventrals and anal fins are of a bluish white 

 color. 



Fin rays — 



D. 7, 26, P. n, V. 6, A. 28, C. 20. 

 This species has been placed recently in the sub-family SeriolincB, 

 Gill. Genus Pomato'nus of Lacepede, and is termed Fomatomua 

 saltatrix, Gill. Its synomyms are 



Gasterosteus saltatrix Lin. 

 Scomber plumbeus Mitch. 



Family Scomberesgcoid.i 



E. 



Char. Body elongated. 



Head. — Grills fully developed — last branchial aperture extant. 

 Pseudo branchiiB glandulous, and covered by the mucus membrane 

 of the branchial aperture, and therefore concealed. 



Scales cycloidal — a row of keeled ones on either side of the 

 body, distinct from the lateral line. 



Dorsal opposite the anal ; rays soft and articulated. 



Ventrals abdominal in position ; rays soft, articulated. 



Air-bladder has no duct leading to the throat, 



Sfomadt has no culdesac and no pyloric appendages — straight and 

 hardly distinguished from the intestines passing gradually into 

 them. 



