27 



dark bands. The lateral line lies in a well marked band of the light 

 ground color, formed bj a dark border above and below. 



D. XIII, 13 P. 9, 8, V. 1, 6, A. Ill, 6, C. 4, 1, 5, 5, 1, 4. 



S. elongatus can be bj no means common in this vicinity, being 

 seldom seen in the markets. The largest have been but little over 

 twelve inches in length. 



'o~ 



Anoplopoma merlangus^ (Ayres). — This fish, for which a new 

 genus becomes necessary, presents a singular grouping of characters. 

 It has the general appearance of the Gadidce, in fact resembles the 

 Pollock so closely as to suggest at once the specific name adopted, but 

 it has really no relation whatever to that family. It has the soft, 

 minute scales, and the smooth appearance of skin of the Scomhridoe, 

 but the vertical fins are scaly, and the air-bladder is well developed. 

 It has the scaly vertical fins of the Sciaenidce, but lacks their peculiar 

 contour of head, and is provided with teeth on the palatines and vomer. 

 It has the suborbital prolonged so as to reach the limb of the preoper- 

 culum, thus resembling the Ileterolepidce, but the dorsal fins, the form 

 and structure of the anal, the position of the ventrals, and the nature 

 of the teeth, exclude it from that family. It differs from the Perddce 

 in its general smoothness of appearance, the feebleness of the spines of 

 the first dorsal and ventrals, and the scaling of the vertical fins. It 

 belongs, however, to this family, and approaches perhaps more closely 

 to Stizostedion than to any other genus. Its generic characters may 

 be thus stated : 



Anoplopoma, (Ayres). — Head and cheeks almost destitute of 

 spines. Scales small, inconspicuous, ciliated, covering the entire body 

 and head, and ascending upon the caudal, second dorsal, anal, and 

 pectoral fins. Teeth even, numerous, small, on both jaws, palatines, 

 and front of vomer. Branchial apertures not continuous under the 

 throat. Two dorsal fins, remote ; rays of first dorsal feebly spinous. 

 Ventrals posterior to the pectorals. 



A. merlangus presents the following features : 



Form elongated, slender, slightly compressed. Head forming a 

 little more than one-fourth of the entire length. Greatest depth 

 equaling one-sixth of the length. Border of the preoperculura feebly 

 crenated, sometimes quite smooth ; operculum ending in a flat point, 

 not spinous. Scales minute, cihatcd, but feeling entirely smooth. 



Dorsal fins equal in height, separated by an interval a little less 

 than their height. The first is one-fourth as long as the fish ; the 

 second, three-fourths as long as the first. 



Anal, opposite the second dorsal, entirely resembling it it in form 

 and size. 



Caudal crescentic ; accessory rays very numerous. 



