GENUS SERIOLA CUVIER 

 The Amber-fishes 



Bodv oblong, moderately compressed, not elevated; occiput 

 and breJst not ? enchant; mouth comparatively large, with broad 

 bandfof viUiform teeth on both jaws, tongue, vomer and pala- 

 tines max ary with a broad, strong supplemental bone; pre- 

 r^fxiilirTes S^ scales small; lateral line scarcely arched 



?^rmina a ked on caudal peduncle, not armed with bony pla es, 

 ?des of head with small scales; first dorsal with about 7 low 

 sDines connected by membrane; second dorsal very long elevated 

 in front anal similar to soft dorsal but not nearly so long pre- 

 ceded by 2 very small free spines, which disappear in old fishes, 

 no finlet^s; ventrals very long; pectorals short and broad 



Species of moderate or large size, often beautifully coloured, 

 most of them valued as food-fishes. 



Of the 8 species occurring in our waters 3 or 4 are gooa 

 food-fishes, and at least one is an excellent game-fish. 



a. Head longer than deep, the profile not very steep; a yellow 



lateral band. 

 ?: S ':iLfZ^X maxiUary barely reaching j,upi.,^.i^m 



... Mourt'L-irgeV 'the' mnxiliary' reaching middle of f JJ.,^^* J^ 



head ; 



bb. Dorsal rays 30 to 34- 01 „„tK. inlnnrii ^01 



d. Body slender, the depth 3i to 3t ^ ength aland, 30 



- ^ atTeTt^toC, tt'-^nor |^oll^ .eep? ^ V^ 

 lateral band. 



ff. Bot^e;-deep,'the-dVpth-3 in length; ^^^ ^ ^;^^^^^ 

 ee Dotrand'anarfalcate;"their' anterior lobes more than half 

 depth of body, the dorsal rays 27 to 30- . 



g. Nuchal band dark brown or black ; 1 f^oham 30 



gg Nuchal band pale yellow; -/^^^^'^' ^"^ 



299 



