FISHES OF NEW YORK 325 



mencing at the isthmus, running close to the ventral edge of 

 the body to the origin of the ventrals, where it rises slightly 

 and is discontinued over the end of the anal base. D. ii, 13; 

 A. i, 15; V. i, 6; P. 10; B. 12. Scales 7-54; vertebrae 34+17=51. 



Translucent green above; the scales above with dark edges; 

 a narrow silvery band, about one half the width of eye, along 

 the side from axil of pectoral to base of caudal; tip of lower 

 jaw crimson in life and with a short filament; three narrow 

 dark streaks along middle of back; anterior part of dorsal and 

 anal and tii)S of caudal dusky, almost black; peritoneum black. 



The halfbeak is occasionally found on our northern coast to 

 Cape Cod, but appears to have been unknown to Mitchill and 

 De Kay. The species ranges southward to the Gulf of Mexico. 

 We found 12 small examples Oct. 1, 1890, at Fire island. Two 

 young examples were taken in Great Egg Harbor bay in 1887, 

 and a larger one, 6^ inches long, was taken in the same locality. 

 According to B. A. Bean this fish was not abundant in the 

 Chesapeake, at Cape Charles, Va., during September 1890. 



The halfbeak is a rare fish in New York w^aters. It attracts 

 attention because of the great inequality in the length of the 

 jaws, the lower jaw being many times as long as the short 

 upper jaw. One of the most striking color marks of this fish 

 is the crimson tip of the lower jaw. The body is silvery, darker 

 •on the back, and has a distinct silvery lateral stripe. 



In 1898 the writer collected this species for the New York 

 state museum in small numbers in Great South bay, during 

 August and September. Only one adult was obtained. The 

 localities are: south side Great South bay, Clam Pond cove, 

 and Horsefoot creek. This fish, like the silver gar, is readily 

 taken at night by means of a lantern. The light dazes the fish, 

 so that it does not see the net. 



Genus p^iLEPTORHAiwrHis Gill 

 This genus consists of pelagic species related to H e m i - 

 r h a m p h u s , the body much more slender and greatly com- 

 pressed, and the pectorals very long, approaching those of the 

 flying fishes, Ventrals small, inserted posteriorly. Aii- blad- 



