448 COXTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY — IV. 



fins 2, the anterior of about 8 weak, low spines, connected by membrane 

 and depressible in a groove ; second dorsal long, similar to the elongate 

 anal, both fins being densely scaly ; fin-rays slender. Two very small, 

 free, anal spines, sometimes hidden in the skin. Ventrals thoracic, I, 5. 

 Pectorals rather short. Caudal fin forked, the lobes broad. Air-blad- 

 der simple, with thin walls. Pyloric C03ca very numerous. Yertebraj 

 10-f 14, as in Carangidce. A single species, found in nearly all warm 

 seas. This family is closely related to the Carangidce^ from which group 

 it is an offshoot toward the Percoids. 



( Carangidce, genus Temnodon Giintber, ii, 479-480. ) 



230.— POMATOMUS Lacdp&de. 

 Blue-fish. 



{Temnodon Cuvier.) 



(Lac^pfede, Hist. Nat. Poiss. iv, 436, 1802: type Pomatomns sldi 'Lac. = Gasterosteus sal- 

 tatrix L.) 



Characters of the genus included above. {-a>fia, operculum ; to/io!;, 

 cutting; from the serrated preopercle.) 

 "708. P. saSlator (L.) GiU.— Blue-fish; Gnen-finh; Skip-jaclc. 



Bluish or greenish, silvery below; a black blotch at base of pectoral. 

 Body robust, moderately compressed ; belly compressed to a bluntish 

 edge. Head deep ; top of head and a ridge on each side above the 

 cheeks naked. Cheeks much longer than the opercles. Pectorals placed 

 rather low, their length a little more than half that of the head. Head 

 31; depth 4. D. YIII-I, 25; A. II-I, 26; Lat. 1. 95. L. 3 feet. Atlantic 

 and Indian Oceans; of late years very abundant on our Atlantic coast; 

 a large, voracious fish, extremely destructive to other fishes ; valued for 

 food. 



(Perca saltatrix L. Syst. Nat. xi, 17G0, i, 29.3: Gasicrosiciis saUairix L. Syst. Nat. xii, 

 1766: Temnodon saltaior Cuv. & Val. ix, 225: Timnodon saltalor Storcr, Hist. Fish. 

 Mass. 300 : Temnodon saltator Giintber, ii, 479.) 



Family LXXVI (&).— NOMEID^. 



[The Nonieids.) 



Scombroid fishes with the body oblong, more or less compressed, 

 covered with cycloid scales of moderate size. Vertebrfe more than 

 10 -+- 14, as in ^comhridx and Stromatcidw. Mouth large or small, 

 usually with minute teeth ; premaxillaries protractile ; maxillary narrow. 

 Gill-membranes separate, free from the isthmus; pseudobranchife large. 

 No tooth-like processes in the oesophagus. Preopercle entire, or crenu- 



