91. SCI.EXID^ — MEXTICIEEUS. 
577 
sihmII. horizontal, both jaws with bands of villiform teeth, the outer 
teeth in the upper jaw more or less enlarged ; chin with a single stout- 
ish barbel; preopercle with its membranaceous edge seiTulate: gill- 
rakers short, tubercular; dorsal spines high, slender; second dorsal 
long and low; caudal fin with the lower angle rounded, the upper 
sharp; anal fin with a single weak spine; no air-bladder. Lower pha- 
ryngeals separate, small, with sharp teeth. Species numerous in Amer- 
ican waters. (Latin, moitum, chin; cirrus, barbel.) 
a. Outer row of teeth iu upper jaw not greatly enlarged. 
907. neb?il 0 SUS (ilitchill) Gill. — WhUinfi ; Eing-fish; Bard. 
Bright grayish silvery, with irregular dark bars, those in front run- 
ning obliquely backward and downward, those behind obliquely forward 
and downward ; fins all dusky. Body elongate, terete, but little com- 
pres.sed; snout very blunt; profile evenly curved; eyes very small, 
about 2 in snout ; outer teeth not much enlarged : i)ectoral fins short 
and broad, scarcely reaching tips of ventrals, 1^ in head : ventrals If in 
head; dorsal fins scarcely connected; spinous dorsal high, its height 
three-fourths length of head; anal spine very weak, less than half the 
height of fin. Head 3f in length ; depth 4f. D. X-I. 26 ; A. I, 8 ; Lat. 
1. about 68. Cajie Cod to Cape Hatteras ; common northward ; an im- 
portant food-fish. 
{Sci(pna neiulosa Mitcli. Trans. Lit. and Philos. Soc. X. Y. i, 40S, lsl5: Umbrina neb- 
ulosa Giimher, ii, 270.) 
908. 31. litloralis (Holbrook) Gill . — Surf TThifing. 
This species is said to be distinguished from M. olhurnus by the jdain 
silvery color and the absence or reduction of the outer series of larger 
teeth. Form entirely similar to that of M. alburnus. D. X-I, 27 ; A. 1. 0. 
Coast of South Carolina. (SolbrooJc.) 
( Umbrina litioralis Holbrook, Ich. S. Car. ls60, 144 : Umbrina Utlorali-s Giinther, ii, '276.) 
aa. Outer row of teeth in upper jaw much enlarged. 
909. 31. alburiius (Linn.) Gill. — TT/u'tiM^. 
Silvery, fiiiutly clouded along the back and sides, these marks form- 
ing dusky bars, running obliquely forward and downward to below 
the lateral line, sometimes obsolete. Body elongate, rather slenderer 
than iu nebulosus-, back slightly arched; belly nearly straight. Snottt 
broad, depressed, and blimtish, jirotrnding beyond the mouth. Outer 
teeth of upper jaw very strong. Maxillary reaching to below middle of 
the small eye. Third dorsal spine highest, less than half the length of 
the soft dorsal, and two-thirds the length of head ; pectorals broad. 
Bull. Xat. Mus. Xo. 16 37 
