130 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [April 



but the head still retains its original plaster hue. Br. Storer 

 appears to have been the original discoverer of this curious fish 

 on the Atlantic coast of America. ] 



The following is a brief description of the dimensions, &c. of 

 the specimen in my collection : 



Extent, 33 inches. Depth at the deepest part across vent 2J 

 inches ; at caudal extreme, 9 lines. Diameter of body at base 

 of pectorals, 3 inches. Extent of head, 4 J inches ; breadth at 

 broadest part, the juncture with the neck, 4J inches ; depth, from 

 summit to extended bony point beneath, 3J inches ; circumference 

 over expanded gill-covers, 11 J inches. Horizontal gape of mouth, 

 2f inches. Lower jaw 4 lines in advance of upper. Teeth conical, 

 two rows in lower jaw curved inwards and extending outwards at 

 chin ; four rows in upper jaw, the third and fourth of which are 

 incomplete. Palatines, armed with small teeth posteriorly. Lips, 

 wide, protruding from either side of divisional ridge to posterior 

 corner. Snout abrupt, indented at extreme. Two triangular 

 fleshy processes occur on either side of the nasal bone. Eyes, 9J- 

 lines distant from each other, diameter 4J lines. An elevated 

 bony ridge commences immediately above the eyes, and runs back 

 for 4 lines, then rising gradually to the summit of the caput 3 

 inches from chin-point, and descending again to post extreme of head. 

 A deepened pit-like depression of the form of the eye occurs 

 behind each eye and a smaller pit between them in advance, situate 

 in the groove formed by the bony ridge above the eyes. The bony 

 ridges are distant from each other at widest part, 8 lines. A bony 

 elevated ridge also occurs in front of the eyes. Anus about 3 

 lines in advance of anal fin. The branchiostegous rays are much 

 inflated, causing the gill-covers to appear as if severed from the 

 head. The dorsal and anal fins are higher at posterior extreme 

 close to the caudal, the former having rays an inch long near its 

 termination, and its commencement partially hid in a groove. The 

 pectorals are 5 lines in extent, having a basal width of 8J lines; 

 they are rounded, and the eight primal rays (with the exception 

 of the first) jointed about 2 or 3 lines from their tips. The 

 caudal is 2 inches 8 lines in extent, having a spread of 2 inches, 



Mackarel. — Scomber vernalis. 



Scomber vernalis DeKay, p. 101, pi. 12, fig. 34. 



« « Cuv. et. Val., viii, p. 48. 



" " Storer, Fishes of Mass., p. 41. 



