LEIOSTOMUS OBLIQUUS. 165 ' 



Description. The shape of the Chub is sub-oval, compressed, gibbous or much 

 arched above, and nearly straight below. The head is large, compressed at the 

 sides, full, rounded above and in front, and covered with scales. The eye is very 

 large, and placed about its diameter from the snout, and two diameters from the 

 posterior angle of the opercle, with its inferior border near the median plane of the 

 head ; the pupil is dusky, the iris golden, intennixed with grey. The nostrils are 

 near together ; the posterior, which is rather the larger, is oval, very near the orbit, 

 and extends obliquely downward and forward, to its inferior plane ; the anterior is 

 placed a little loAver down. 



The mouth is inferior, small, scarcely opening to the orbit, and has tolerably 

 thick lips ; the lower is shorter, and received within the upper. The upper 

 jaw is protractile, and has several series of closely-set, minute, conical teeth ; 

 while the lower is smooth, unarmed, and received within the upper. The tongue 

 is small, narrow, smooth, round before, and but slightly movable. The anterior 

 pharyngeal bones are armed with numerous conical, pointed, card-like teeth ; the 

 posterior are furnished on their outer half with similar teeth, though rather 

 longer; but their internal half is covered with short, broad teeth, rounded at 

 their surfaces, and arranged like paving-stones. The pre-opercle is rounded at 

 its angle, with its ascending border smooth or without serratures, and directed a 

 little forward. The opercle ends behind in an obtuse angle. The gill-openings 

 are of very moderate size ; there are seven branchial rays. 



There are two dorsal fins, though they are connected by a membrane slightly 

 elevated ; the anterior has ten delicate spinous rays, the first very short, the fourth 

 and fifth longest ; these are partially received in a groove ; the posterior has one 

 short spine and thirty soft rays, connected by a semi-transparent membrane, and 

 covered with scales at their roots. The pectoral fin is broad at its origin, but 

 terminates in a point anterior to the vent, and has eighteen rays, with a fold of skin 

 in the axilla above. The ventral is short ; it begins behind the root of the pec- 

 toral fin, and terminates before it in a short, delicate filament, and has five rays. 

 The anal fin arises opposite the tenth dorsal soft ray, and has two spines, the 



