84 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Sob-class Teleostei. Atherinoida 



rays ; ventral spines sharp, curved, with a slight membrane at 

 base, and a bony plate between them pointed posteriorly. 



Caudal rounded, and the tail is keeled or carinated with from 

 twelve to fourteen distinct plates. 



Ray formula — 



D. 80, 9 or 10 ; P. 11 ; V. 1 ; A, 1, 9 ; C. 13. 



Length from one to two inches. 



Synontmes. — Gasterosteus pungilius, Storer. 



Gasterosteus occidentalis, DeKay. 



This species has been placed by Brevoort into a new genus, 

 Pygosteus, and terms this species PygoslQus DeKaxji. 



Family Atherinoid^, Bona. Sub-family Atherinin^, Bona. 



Char. Body, covered with cycloid scales, provided laterally 

 with a silvery band. Mucous pores wanting. 



Head. Upper arcade of mouth formed by the pre-maxillaries. 

 The maxillaries which are situate behind, are tapering towards its 

 free or posterior extremity instead of being dilated. 



Upper jaws very protractile. Six branchiostegal rays on either 

 Bide. Four gills on either side but no pseudo-branchiaj. Bran- 

 chial apertures continuous under the throat. Pre-maxillar, maxillar 

 and other teeth, so small as to require being magnified to be seen. 



Fins. Two dorsals, widely separated. Ventrals are abdominal. 



Stomach, a simple membranous pouch, no culdesac, or pyloric 

 appendages. 



Air bladder is extant. 



Genus Atherina, Linn. 



Gen. Char. Body elongated ; two dorsals, widely separated ; ventrals further 

 back than the pectorals ; mouth highly protractile, and furnished with very niiiiuto 

 teeth. A broad silvery band along each flank on all the known species. — Storer. 



Atherina notala, Mitch. 

 Dotted Silver Side. Sand Smelt. 



In some parts of our seaboard, especially at the mouth of the 

 Piscataquis river, and the creeks around Kittery during the smelt- 

 ing season, there is t beautiful little fish caught, known in some 

 places aa the " Sayxd Smelt," "Silver Side,'^ " Capelin," "An- 



