116 PEOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



This is the species called by Poey Mugil gaimardianns and is appar- 

 ently the Mugil gaimardianus, Desmarest, figured in 1831, but so far as 

 I know never described. 



47. Mugil trichodon Poey. Fan-fail Mullet. 



Very common about Key West, the young taken in large numbers in 

 the seine. It reaches a smaller size (about a foot) than any of the other 

 American species, is more robust in form, and has much larger scales 

 than any other, except Mvgil liza, which it resembles in no other re- 

 spects. 



Color in life silvery, light olive above, uustriped; a narrow groove 

 at base of each scale on back, top of head and ou sides ; base of pec- 

 toral dusky-bluish. Soft dorsal and caudal narrowly edged with black- 

 ish ; middle of anal dusky 5 eye very large, pale, its adipose membrane 

 large and transparent. 



Body deeper than in related species, compressed ; head short, not 

 very obtuse. Interorbital space convex, its width 2J in head. Eye, 3| 

 in head. Maxillary mostly concealed by the preorbital; lower jaw 

 acute in front, the angle formed by the dentary bones rather more than 

 a right angle; dentiform papill;^ much longer than in Mugil hrasiliensis 

 (although much shorter than described in Mugil tricliodon)^ rather stiff. 

 Upper lip unusually thick ; its depth m front half diameter of ej' e ; 

 tongue with asperities ; pectoral 1^ in head, its tij) not reaching front 

 of dorsal by a distance equal to three- sevenths of its own length ; soft 

 parts of vertical fins densely scaly ; free edge of dorsal and anal much 

 concave ; first dorsal spine ly in head ; caudal broad and rather short, 

 its lobes as long as head. 



Head, 4 in length ; depth, 3^; D. IV,-1, 8; A. Ill, 8. Scales, 34-12. 



This is probably Mxigil trichodon Poey, although his description in- 

 dicates a fish with longer head, slenderer body, shorter dorsal spines, 

 and longer dental cilia. 



48. Querimana gyrans Jor. & Gilb. 



Abundant in suiall schools about the wharves. Swimming at the 

 surface close together, like" Whirlagig-beetles" (G'ynmfZrt-). It is not 

 likely that these fishes reach a length of more than 2 inches and they 

 are most assuredly not the young of any species of Mugil. 



ATHERINIDiE. 



49. Atherina laticeps Poey. Sardine. 



lAtherina stipes Miiller & Troschel. 

 Atherina laticeps Poey. 

 Atherina relieana Goode & Bean. 



Extremely abundant everywhere about the island, swimming in 

 schools. Often used as bait. It reaches a length of less than 3 inches. 

 It is readily distinguished from related species by its broad head, thick 

 body and large eye. 



