584 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



fold, beginning immediately behind its tip, ami extending for a distance 

 rather less than length of spine ; a much longer, rather higher fold on 

 under side of tail, beginning slightly in advance of base of spine, and 

 extending beyond end of upper fold. 



Top of head between eyes rather sparsely covered with small stellate 

 prickles (these almost wanting in one specimen), which do not extend 

 backward on body ; body naked with exception of the median dorsal, 

 series of very strong backward-hooked prickles, each arising from a 

 long naiTow base ; a single prickle on each shoulder (sometimes want- 

 ing) ; upper surface of tail behind the fold with numerous minute back- 

 ward-hooked prickles, arising from stellate bases; a few also on lower 

 surface of tail towards tip. 



Very abundant in the harbor. 



13. Stoasodon narinaii (Eiiphraseu) Cantor — Clam-cracker. 

 Not rare. A single large specimen seen. 



14. Manta birostris (Walb.) Jor. «fe G\\\,.—DevU-fish. 



Two stuffed skins in the Charleston Museum, The " devil-fish " is 

 said to be abundant off Port Royal, S. C, each year, about the last of 

 August. 



15. Lepidosteus osseiis. (Linn.) Agassiz. — Gar. 



Two specimens wore taken in the salt water of the harbor. 



16. Amiacalva Linn. 



A specimen in Charleston Museum from Black River, South Carolina. 



17. Arius felis (Linn.) J. & G. — Small-mouthed cat-Jinh. 



Exceedingly abundant in the harbor, but eaten only by the poorer 

 classes. In this si)ecies the maxillary barbel frequently extends beyond 

 base of pectoral spine, thus agreeing in all respects with "A. equestris^ 

 Bd. & Grd. In July many males were captured with mouths full of 

 their young. 



18. ^lurichthys marinus, (Mirch.) B. & G.— Large-mouthed cat-fish. 

 Very abundant, although much less so than the preceding. 



19. Elops saurus Linn. — Jack Mariddle. 



Common in the harbor, but not eaten, the flesh said to be tasteless. 



20. Brevoortia tyrannus (Latrobe) Quodf^.— Menhaden. 



The young are very abundant in the harbor during the summer 

 months. A study of the material in our possession, comprising speci- 

 mens from Beaufort, N.C., Charleston, S. C, Saint John's River, Florida, 

 Pensacola, Fla., Mobile, Ala., and Galveston, Tex., convinces us that the 

 Gulf menhaden {B. patronus, Goode) should be considered a scarcely 

 tangible variety of fi/rannn>i, rather th;jn a distinct species. We are- 



