36. ELOPIDiE MEGALOPS. 261 



of villiform teeth iu both jaws aud ou vomer, paUitiues, pterygoids, 

 tongue, aud base of skull. No large teeth. Eye large, with au adipose 

 ('\elid. Gill-membraues entirely sei)arate, free from the isthmus. 

 Branchiostegals numerous (20-35). Gill-rakers long and slender. 

 Pseudobranehiie present or absent. Belly not keeled nor serrated, 

 covered with ordinary scales. Lateral line present. Dorsal fin over 

 or rather behind ventrals. Caudal fin forked. Xo adipose fin. Pyloric 

 coeca numerous. Two genera, not much alike, with 4 or 5 species, widely 

 distributed, sometimes entering fresh waters. 

 {Cliipcidcc group Elopina Guuther, vii, 469-472.) 



*Body elongate, covered witli small scales; aual fiu smaller than dorsal. (Elojibiw.) 



a. PseudobraucliiiB i)re8eut Elops, 118. 



* ' Body oblong, covered with large scales ; anal tin larger than dorsal. {MefjaJoptnw.) 

 h. PseudobrancMte obsolete Megalops, 119. 



11§.— EL.OPS Linn;eu8. 



Big-eyed Herrings. 

 (Linnajus, Syst. Nat: type Eloi)s saurus L.) 



Body elongate, covered with thin, small, silvery scales. Dorsal fin 

 slightly behind ventrals, its last rays short, the fin depressible into a 

 sheath of scales. Anal fin smaller, similarly depressible. Pectorals 

 and ventrals moderate, each with a long accessory scale. Opercular 

 bones thin, with expanded, membranaceous borders; a scaly occipital 

 sheath or collar. Lateral line straight, its tubes simple. Pseudobran- 

 chite present, large. Si)ecies 2 or more, widely distributed, remarka- 

 ble for the development of scaly sheaths. (eAoi/-, name of some sea-fish — 

 a sword-fish or sturgeon; from i/.dco, to drive or move.) 



435. E. saiirus L. — Big-eyed Herring. 



Uniform silvery, darker above. Gular plate 3-4 times as broad as 

 long. Head 4^; depth 5-6. Eye large, 4-5 iu head. D. 20; A. 13; V. 

 15; B. 30; scales 12-120-13. L. 24 inches. Cape Cod to Cape of Good 

 Hope and China. A handsome fish, not rare on our Atlantic coast. 



(Linn. Syst. Nat.; Guuther, vii, 470.) 



y 1 19,— MEGAEOPS Lac6piide. 



Tarimms. 



(Commerson; Lac6p6de, Hist. Nat. des Poissons, v, 289, 1803: type Megalops filamen- 

 tosus Lac. = Chipea cyprinoides Broussonet.) 



Body oblong, compressed. Head large, compressed. Eye very large. 

 Belly narrow, covered with ordinary scales. Mouth large, oblique. 



