946 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



and serrated. Gill membranes free from the isthmus, not united. Bnin- 

 cbiostegals 7 ; gills 4, a slit behind the fourth. Pseudobranchia' large. 

 Gill rakers slender, rather few. Opercle ending in a tlat point. Cheeks 

 and opercles scaly ; lateral line present, unarmed. Dorsal fins 2, the 

 anterior of about 8 weak, low spines, connected by membrane and 

 depressible in a groove ; second dorsal long, similar to the elongate anal, 

 both fins being densely scaly ; fin rays slender; 2 very small, free anal 

 spines, sometimes hidden in the skin; ventrals thoracic, I, 5; peduncle 

 stout; pectorals rather short; caudal fin forked, the lobes broad; air 

 bladder simple, with thin walls. Pyloric cceca very numerous. Vertebrae 

 10 + 14=24, as usual in Carangida'. A single species, found in nearly 

 all warm seas. This family is closely related to the Cararu/ida-, from 

 which group it seems to be an oft'shoot tow^ard the Percoids. (Caranyidw, 

 genus Temnodon, Giinther, Cat., 11, 479, 480, 1860.) 



429. POMATOMUS,* Lacepede. 

 (Bluefisiies.) 



Pomnlomn!:, LAcfipfiDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., iv, 436, 1802, (skib). 



GoncnioH, Rafinesqi'E, Caratteri Alcuni Nuovi Generi, 53, 1810, (serra). 



Lo2>hariSj Rafinesque, I. c, 53, 1810, {medUerrcmens=l<yiihar). 



Temmnlon, Cuvier, Kegne Animal, Ed. 2, A'ol. ii, 206, 1829, {saltalur). 



NjTjjtenfs, EiCHWALD, Fauna Casjiio-Caucasana, 1841. 



Chromin, (Garden MS.) Gronow, Cat. Fishes, Ed. Gray, 1854, 149, {eincunmun). 



Cheilodiptentii, Bleekek, Nat. Yerh. Holl. Maats., Wet. V, 2, No. 1, 74, 1874, {l,eptacaullii(.-<; not 



of LAcfipEDE, as earlier restricted by CuviEn). 

 Sparactodon, De Rochebbune, Bull. Sci. Philom. Paris, iv, 159, 1880, {naltml). 



Characters of the genus included above. {Tvufia, operculum; t<i/xo^, 

 cutting ; from the serrated preopercle. ) 



1345. POMATOMUS SALTATRIX (Linnwue). 

 (Bluefish; Snap Mackerel; Skipjack; Fat-rack.) 



Head 3|; depth 4. D. VIII-I, 25; A. II-I, 26; scales 95. Body robust, 

 moderately compressed ; belly compressed to a bluntish edge. Head deep; 

 top of head and a ridge on each side above the cheeks naked. Cheeks 

 much longer than opercles. Pectorals placed rather low, their length a 

 little more than half that of head. Coloration bluish or greenish above, 

 silvery below ; a blackish blotch at base of pectoral. Length 3 feet. 



* The following words of Mr. D. G. Elliot, are pertinent as to cases of this kind, in which the 

 generic name commonly used can claim no right of priority: 



"The law of priority is very clear in regard to the treatment of such cases, but some naturalists 

 object to have it enforced on the ground of expediency, and because it would be apt to create con- 

 fusion. Doubtless such would be the temporary result in this and all similar instances when 

 errors are corrected which have been continued by writers who have sim])ly fallowed each other 

 without making independent investigations; but the confusion is originally caused by those who 

 commit errors, not by those who correct them. * * * It may be inconvenient for those who 

 have become familiar with any special group to have their ideas of its nomenclature disturbed, 

 by showing that errors have been committed and then knowingly continued; but that would be 

 a nio.st indefensible reason to advance why these should not be corrected. * * * Conserva- 

 tism is an excellent principle when it serves as a bulwark against the commission of abuses, but 

 it isamost baleful principle when it is exerted against the correction of errors." — Danid G. Elliut; 

 Monograph of the PiUidx. 



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