532 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



occiput to tip of jaw. Nostril as broad as deep, triano-ular. Subor- 

 bital space equal to depth of eye. Teeth rather slender; no teeth on 

 })alate. 



Leno'th of pectoral 1\ in postorbital part of head. Ventrals inserted 

 niidwa}^ between base of pectoral and base of caudal, their length two- 

 thirds tliat of pectoral. Base of eighth anal ray under first dorsal ray. 

 Base of anal slightly less than space between its first ray and ventrals. 

 Anterior anal rays longer than those of dorsal, or If in postorbital part 

 of head. Base of last anal ray one-half diameter of eye anterior to 

 base of last dorsal ray. Space between last anal ray and auxiliary 

 caudal rays equal to length of anterior anal rays. Base of dorsal 1:^ 

 in that of anal. Lower ra,ys of caudal scarcely longer than upper 

 ravs; the caudal scarcely forked, lunate when fin is extended. Caudal 

 peduncle compressed, without keel. 



Color in spirits: A narrow bluish silvery lateral band, following 

 outline of back, runs from above pectoral to caudal base; above the 

 back is abi'uptl}^ brownish; below the sides and belly are uniformly 

 bright silvery; top of head dark; a dark band along posterior upper 

 part of preopercle; tip of pectoral dusk}^; axil colorless; dorsal and 

 caudal dark. 



H(M-e described from a specimen TOcrn. in length from Yokohama. 

 Other specimens are from Tokyo, Matsushima, and Hakodate. It is 

 not certain that the name anastomella is prior to ciconia., but the 

 description is better. 



{avaaroixo';^ sharp mouthed.) 



Family II. HEMIRAMPHIDJE. 



HALF-BEAKS. 



Body elongate, more or less compressed, covered with large cycloid 

 scales; upper jaw short, lower jaw various, sometimes much produced, 

 the toothed portion at base fitting against the toothed premaxillaries; 

 teeth eciual, mostly small and tricuspid; maxillaries anchylosed to pre- 

 maxillaries. Gill rakers long. Caudal fin rounded, or forked; if 

 forked, the lower lobe the longer. Anal fin modified in the viviparous 

 species {Zcnareliopti^rms), unmodified in the others and usually similar 

 to the dorsal; no finlets; air bladder large, sometimes cellular. Third 

 upper pharyngeal on each side much enlarged, solidly united with its 

 fellow to form an oval plate, with slightly convex surface and covered 

 with blunt tricuspid teeth; this is about as large as the united lower 

 pharyngeals, and fits into the concavity of the latter; fourth upper 

 pharyngeal wanting or grown fast to the third; lower pharyngeal 

 large, thick, triangular, with concave surface. Vertebra about 50. 



Herbivorous fishes of the warm seas; mostly shore species; a few 

 pelagic, a few confined to fresh water. They feed chiefly on green 

 algai, and, like the related forms, swim at the surface, occasionally 



