4C. SALMONIDiE OSMERUS. 293 



liiry broad, its edge strongly curved, extending to opposite posterior 

 margin of pupil. Premaxillary on the level of upper part of pupil. 

 Mandible projecting, its tip somewhat curved upward. Eye longer 

 than snout, 4 in head. Fins high, the pectorals usually reaching ven- 

 trals, and the ventrals to anal; anal reaching about to caudal. Teeth 

 weak; maxillary teeth scarcely visible. Head 4i; depth 5 J. I). 9; A. 

 18; P. 11. Lat. 1. 00. L. 9 inches. Pacific coast from San Francisco 

 northward ; rather common. 



(Ayres, Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. 1860, C2 ; Giiutlier, vi, 168.) 



479. O. attciisiatus Lockiugton. 



Greenish, sides silvery. Body elongate, comiiressed. Head rather 

 long, somewhat pointed ; maxillary extending past pupil ; lower jaw 

 projecting; maxillary rather narrow, little convex. Outline of both 

 jaws nearly straight, less curved than in 0. thaleichthys. Teeth on 

 tougue strong, but much smaller than in 0. mordax ; teeth on maxil- 

 lary conspicuous ; front of both jaws with rather strong teetli*; pala- 

 tine teeth variable, usually strong. Eye large, 4 in head. Fins low. 

 Pectorals not reaching ventrals, nor ventrals anal, nor anal to caudal. 

 Head 4^; depth G. D. 10; A. 15-17; P. 11. Lat. 1. 05. L. 10 inches. 

 Coast of California ; not rare. Very close to 0. thaleichthys^ but proba- 

 bly distinct. 



(Lockiugtou, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mas. 1880, 66.) 



aa. Vomer with 2-4 stroug faiig-like teeth; species ascending rivers. 



4§0. O. luoa'dax (Mitch.) Gill. — American Smelt. 



Transparent greenish above, silvery on sides ; body and fins with 

 some dark punctulations. Body rather long and slender. Head large, 

 with Lirge mouth and stronger teeth than in the other species of the 

 genus. Small teeth along the edge of the maxillary ; stroug fang-like 

 teeth on tongue and front of vomer ; cardiform teeth ou palatines, ptery- 

 goids, and hyoid bone ; mandible with moderate teeth, its tip projecting. 

 Scales deciduous. Dorsal fin rather posterior, the ventrals under its 

 front. Lower fins moderate, none reaching the next behind it. Gill- 

 rakers two-thirds diameter of eye. Head 4; depth 6^. D. 10; A. 15; 

 P. 13. Lat. 1. OS. L. 1'2 intihes. Atlantic coast from Virginia north- 

 ward, entering streams and often land-locked. Very close to the 

 European 0. ejjerlanus, but the latter has largei: scales (Lat. 1. 00), 

 shorter gill-rakers, and rather weaker teeth. 



(Alherlnamordax Mitchill, Trans. Lit. &Phil. Soc. N. Y. 1814, 446: Osmerus virldescena 

 Le Sueur, Jouru. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. i, 230: Osmerus viridesccns Giiuther, vi, 167.) 



