146 BULLETIN 10 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



more or less scaly except muzzle; scales largest along middle of side 

 of body, all rather narrowly imbricated; lateral line of large short 

 tubes, each well exposed. Scales with 6 basal radiating striae; 12 to 

 23 short irregular apical points; circuli fine. 



D. VIII, I, 10, i, third spine 2% to 2^ in total head length, first 

 ray 2>£ to 2\i; A. Ill, 7, i, third anal spine 3% to 4%, first ray 2% 

 to 2^?; caudal 1% to 1%, well forked; least depth of caudal peduncle 

 3% to 3^; pectoral 1^ to 1%; ventral 2\i to 2y z . 



Back brown, below whitish and body everywhere with silvery 

 white sheen. Fins all pale brownish. In preserved examples after 

 very caducous scales fall from young, breast, belly and lower surface 

 of tail thickly dotted with dusky, though dotted area not extending 

 above base of pectoral. 



Gulf of Oman, Natal, India, East Indies, Philippines, Japan. We 

 fail to find the nominal Synagrops splendens Lloyd and Acropoma 

 cynodon Regan, differing in any specific way from our other materials. 

 The distinctions given are largely of minor importance. Regan's 

 fish was larger, or 165 mm. long. 



3010 (D. 5376). Tayabas Light, N. 53° W. 18.7 miles. March 2, 1909. Eight 

 examples. Length 36 to 98 mm. (1184). Silvery, rosy above, steel blue and 

 blackish shades below. Fins rosy. Anal with some blackish basally and 

 ventrals with black. 



(D. 5193). Chocolate Island, N. 77° E., 8 miles off northern Cebu. April 3, 

 1908. Length 36 mm. 



Family CHANDIDAE 



Body more or less elevated, ventral edge rounded, often somewhat 

 transparent. Head compressed. Mouth oblique to nearly vertical. 

 Teeth conic, in bands in jaws and on vomer and palatines. Preorbital 

 and preopercle usually with serrated ridges and edges. Gill mem- 

 branes free. Pseudobranchiae present. Branchiostegals 6. Lower 

 pharyngeals not coalesced. Scales cycloid. No elongate axillary 

 scale. Lateral line usually complete, variably interrupted or incom- 

 plete, or even absent. Dorsal base in deep scaly sheath; spines 7, 

 compressed and transversely striated, anteriorly another short 

 procumbent spine; rays 8 to 17. Anal spines 3, rays 8 to 18. 

 Caudal usually forked, rays 15. Pectoral rays branched. Ventral 

 with spine and 5 rays. 



A small family and though several genera have been admitted at 

 various times, the species are homogeneous. Fishes of small size 

 in the Indo-Pacific, usually brilliant or silvery white in color. They 

 live in the sea and about the mouths of rivers, some in fresh water 

 near the sea. Though all have a very similar appearance they are 

 easily distinguished from the Amiidae by the combination of cycloid 

 scales, basal dorsal and anal sheath, procumbent predorsal spine, 



