538 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



above lateral band abruptly slaty blue. Top of head to tip of upper 

 jaw dark. Dorsal, caudal, and inner surface of pectoral dusky. Base 

 of pectoral dusky. Other fins colorless. 



Here described from numerous specimens 15 to 18 cm. in entire 

 length, from Awa, obtained from Yonekichi Koneyama, a local nat- 

 uralist. 



Other specimens are from Otaru, Aomori, and Hakodate, the longest 

 29 cm. in length. It is locally known as Samma. The name Saira 

 {Sayor!) is used only for Ily^jorhainphus. Although not recognized 

 by any author except Ishikawa since Brevoort, the species is common, 

 running in large schools in sheltered bays from Tok^^o northward. 

 Ny Strom's Scombresox saurus with shorter snout ("mendre ut dragen 

 nos") is evidently Cololahls mlra. The figure of Brevoort does not 

 show correctly the number of finlets, which are 6 or T, as in Scornhresox 

 saurvjS. The rare Calif ornian species, Cololabis hrevirostris, is close to 

 Cololahis saira. 



{Saira \_Sayori\, Japanese name of Ryporluimjphus.) 



Family IV. EXOCCETID^. 



FLYING-FISHES. 



Body oblong or elongate, covered with cycloid scales, which are 

 rather deciduous. Lateral line running very low, along the sides of 

 the bell3\ Head more or less scaly, with vertical sides. Mouth mod- 

 erate, terminal, the jaws not prolonged into a long beak. Premaxil- 

 laries not protractile, hinged at base mesially; margin of the upper 

 jaw chiefly formed by the premaxillaries; the short maxillaries enter- 

 ing the lateral margin; maxillar}^ free from the premaxillary, its edge 

 slipping under the front of the preorbital. Dentition various, the 

 teeth small and weak. Dorsal fin without sphies, inserted on the 

 posterior part of the bodj", opposite the anal and more or less similar 

 to it; ventrals abdominal, of several soft rays, inserted posteriorly; 

 pectoral fin inserted high, used as an organ of flight; shoulder girdle 

 and pectoral muscles very strong; caudal fin forked, the lower lobe 

 the longer. No finlets. Vent close in front of anal. Nostrils large, 

 double, near the ej^e. Lower pharyngeals enlarged and full}^ united, 

 forming a large, transversely concave plate, covered with large, close- 

 set, blunt, tricuspid teeth; third upper pharyngeal greatly enlarged, 

 not united with its fellow, both covered with large, blunt, tricuspid 

 teeth; fourth superior pharyngeal wanting in the adult (probably 

 coossitied with the third; vertebras without zygapophyses. Gill mem- 

 branes not united, free from the isthmus. Pseudobraiichia^ hidden, 

 glandular. Gill rakers various. Gills 4, a slit behind the fourth. Air 

 bladder very large, not cellular, so far as known, and extending far 

 backward among the haimapophyses of the caudal vertebrae. Vertebne 



