28 Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 



jaw thin, obliciue, projecting beyond upper. No trace of teeth. Eye 

 small, rather shorter than snout; 3^ in head, longer than opercle; 

 opercle short and deep, more or less striated, and shining black (the bones 

 more or less crushed and obliterated). 



Dorsal fin lost; caudal fin equally and sharply forked, half longer than 

 head; anal short, its rays lost, about 14 in number. Pectorals low, not 

 very short; about seven rays evident; ventrals obliterated, probably 

 behind front of dorsal. Vertebrae 14 + 19 = 33. Ribs about 18. 

 Traces of shining scales between the ribs. 



2. Ellipes riacensis Jordan, sp. nov. (Plate X.) 

 Tj'pe a fish pressed flat in black shale, and well preserved, Collector's 

 Number 4. Length 4g- inches. From Riacho Doce, Alagoas, Brazil, 

 Branner Collection. 



Back little convex, the belly more curved but not prominent. Head 

 2A in length to base of caudal; depth 2^ ; length of longest rib a shade 

 less than length of head; distance from snout to nape a little less than 

 from nape to dorsal; length of caudal part of vertebral column equal 

 to greatest depth and a shade more than length of head. Body moder- 

 ately deep mesially, about as in species of Sardinella, the back scarcely 

 elevated. Belly sharply keeled, the plates strong, about 23 in number, 

 the hindmost not enlarged. Scutes before dorsal mostly lost, apparently 

 entire and with flexible edges. Caudal peduncle longer than deep. Head 

 rather longer than deep. Maxillary 2^ in head, not reaching front of 

 eye; mouth small, the lower jaw in the type apparently shorter than upper, 

 its position apparently due to distortion; as in other specimens, the chin 

 projects. Eye small, shorter than snout, 4 in head, not longer than 

 opercle. Opercle moderate, its surface polished and striated; subopercle 

 evident, nearly as large as opercle. Dorsal fin preserved, apparently of 

 about 15 rays. Caudal fin a shade longer than head, equally and sharply 

 forked. Anal fin short, probably of about 14 rays, most of them obliter- 

 ated. Pectorals present, crushed. Ventrals small, inserted behind front 

 of dorsal. Traces of small smooth shining scales between the ribs and on 

 various parts of the body. Vertebree 13 + 18 = 31. Ribs about 19. 

 Interspinal bones behind anal mostly ending in little knobs to which the 

 rays are joined. 



This fish is formed much like an alewife, but with the ventral plates 

 much stronger. From Ellipes branneri it differs in the longer head, 

 smaller mouth, shorter lower jaw, shorter ribs, more elongate body, and 

 broader striate opercle. 



