PEOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 27 



This little fish was found to be very abuudant about the market 

 wharves at Key West, apparently feeding on the waste fishes thrown 

 overboard by the fishermen. None of the many specimens obtained are 

 more than three fourths of an inch long, nor is it likely that the species 

 attains a much greater size. 



The fishes swim about in schools of about 50 at the surface of the 

 water, the school having often something of a rotary motion like a school 

 of whirligig beetles ( Gyrinidce). When so swimming the pale spot on the 

 back is very conspicuous, and the bronze-colored ones (males?) are read- 

 ily distinguished from the green ones. When alarmed, the whole school 

 sinks to the bottom. All the specimens obtained were dipped up with 

 a pail from the boats. 



It is probable that the specimens obtained at Charleston, and referred 

 by us to Querimana harengus, belonged to this species. Unfortunately 

 they have been destroyed. 



4. Atherina araea. 



Body very slender, compressed, the head slender and narrow, with 

 sharply-pointed snout ; mouth oblique, narrow, maxillary barely reach- 

 ing vertical from front of orbit, 2| in head ; eye large, equaling inter- 

 orbital width, 2| in head ; scales moderate, entire. 



Origin of spinous dorsal midway between tip of snout and base of 

 caudal, much behind end of pectorals, about opposite tip of ventrals; 

 length of pectorals equaling depth of body ; veutrals half length of 

 head ; bases of vertical fins concealed in a sheath of scales. 



Head U in length ; depth 6. D. YI-1, 9; A. 1, 12. Lat. 1, 38 to 42. 



Color. — Translucent olive-green, the snout and mandible dusky; 

 back with a median series of black specks, one on each scale ; a similar 

 series on each side the median row ; no dark specks on sides ; lateral 

 silvery band broad, occupying the greater part of the third row of 

 scales, its width half diameter of orbit; a dusky area behind vent; a 

 series of black si)eck8 along base of anal, and thence along caudal pe- 

 duncle to tail. 



This species is rather common about Key West, in company with its 

 larger and much more abuudant congener, A. stijyes Miill. & Trosch., 

 {=A. latkeps Poey, A. veliana Goode «& Bean.) None were obtained of 

 more than 2 inches in length. 



5. Xyrichthys rosipes. 



Body sharply compressed and of moderate heigiit, the anterior pro- 

 files not com])ressed to a sharp edge, the upper profile descending in 

 a regular gentle curve from dorsal fin to end of snout, thus much less 

 nearly vertical than in most species of the genus ; the snout compara- 

 tively long and pointed, the preorbital Iom; maxillary nearly reaching 

 vertical from front of orbit, 3i in head ; teeth as usual, no posterior ' 

 canines ; height of preorbital 5^ in head ; eye large, 1^ times interor- 



