PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 353 



CATAf.O«VlE OF TBaE FISHES C!©t,i:.E€TES> BY MR. JOIBIV XAi^TTtlS 

 AT CAPE SAIV B^IUCAS, ^VHBCBJt AB5E IVO^V fliV TBSE l^IVBTEI) STATES 

 IVATBONAIi MUSEUM, WITBI DESC'REPTIOIVS OF EIGIBT IVEW SPE- 

 CIES. 



By I>AVSB> S. jrOBSIJAlV ami CHARLES If. C1II.E5ERT. 



Mr. John Xautus, when stationed at Cape Sau Lucas as a tidal 

 observer for the Coast Survey, brought together a very large collection 

 of objects of natural history, among which was a most excellent series 

 of the fishes of the coast. The collections were formed under the 

 auspices and direction of the Smithsonian Institution. They were 

 studied by Professor Gill, who published descriptions* of most of the 

 species in Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- 

 delphia in 1862 and 1863. Later, during a period of confusion in the 

 Museum, this collection was scattered and many of the specimens lost 

 or destroyed, and the study of the undescribed portion was abandoned 

 by Professor Gill. The writers have gone over the entire collection 

 again, and give here a catalogue of what remains. Even after the 

 extensive collections studied by Giiuther, Steindachner, and the writers, 

 there still remain in the Xantus collection several species new to 

 science. 



It may be observed that the descrii^tions published by Professor Gill 

 are, for the most part, taken from immature fishes. This accounts for 

 many discrepancies between these descriptions and those taken from 

 adults of the same species. Most of the specimens obtained by Xantus 

 were taken from tide pools and rocks, and few or none bought in the 

 markets. 



1. Elops saurus L. 



2521. Small specimens. 



2. Clupea thrissina sp. no v. 



6388, 2524, 6339. Several specimens in fair condition, the largest 7| 

 inches in length. 



Allied to Clupea [Harengula) clupeoJa. 



Head 4 in length; depth 3^. D. I, 15; A. 1, 13 or 1, 14. Scales about 

 40-10. Ventral scutes 16 + 13. 



Body rather deep, but more elongate than usual in the group called 

 Harengula, to which this species belongs ; rather strongly compressed. 

 Head large, deep, rather blunt anteriorly. Mouth not large, rather 

 oblique, the lower jaw projecting; the upper jaw scarcely emarginate in 



* Catalogue of the Fishes of Lower Califoruia in the Smithsonian Institution, col- 

 lected by Mr. John Xautus. By Theodore Gill. Part I, in Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 

 1862, pp. 140-151; Part II, op. cit. pp. 242-246; Part III, oj). cit. 249-262; Part IV, oj). 

 cit., 1863, pp. 80-92. A few sjiecies were also described iu other papers of Professor 

 Gill, both earlier and later than those here mentioned. 



Proc. Nat. Mus. 82 23 Sept, 5, 1882. 



