FISHES — SCIAENIDAK — UMBRINA UNDULATA. ' 101 



UMBRINA, Cuv. 



Gen. Char. — Body elongated and fusiform. Hrad moderate, subconical; snout tliickish, protruding- over the lower jaw, at 

 the symplijsis of which a barbel may he seen. Mouth small ; teetii velvet-like, exiguous. Palate toothless. Opercular appa- 

 ratus smooth. Branchial apertures continuous uiicier the threat. Two dorsal fins contiguous at their base; anterior one 

 spinous. Anal fin provided anteriorly with one or two small spines. Posterior margin of caudal fin subtruncated. Insertion 

 of ventrals situated posteriorly to the base of pectorals. Upper surface of head , cheeks, and opercular apparatus scaly. Scales 

 of body of moderate size. 



SvK.— Umbrina, Cuv. Rcgn. anini. II, 1817 ; 2d eH. II, 1829 ; & ed. illustr. Poiss 82.— Cuv. & Val. Hist. nat. dos Poiss. 

 V, 1830, 171.— DlKat, New Y. Fauna, IV, 1842, 78.— Storer, Synops. 1846, 71. 



The " king fish" of the Few Yorkers and the " whiting" of the South Carolinians belong to 

 the present genus. Several other species inhabit the Gulf of Mexico, one of which is figured in 

 the report to the United States and Mexican boundary commission. 



UMBRINA UNDULATA, Grd. 



Spec Char. — Mouth small ; posterior e-xtremity of maxillary extending to a vertical line drawn midway between the anterior 

 rim of tile orbit and the pupil. Orig'n of ventrals situated opposite the anterior margin of the first dorsal. Extremitits of 

 pectorals not extending as far as the tips of ventrals, which do not reach the vent. Anal fin small and narrow. Scales mod- 

 erate. Color ash-grey, silvery above, each scale bearing a small greyish-brown spot, giving rise to oblique and undulating 

 lines. Beneath, metallic yellow, unicolor. 



Stn. — Utnbrina undulala, Grd. in Proc. Acad. Nat. So. Philad. VII, 1854, 148. 



The greatest length of the specimen described is six inches, the head being comprised in it 

 four times and a half. It is more than probable that the species attains a larger size. The 

 body is much compressed, especiallj' the dorsal region, properly so-called. The upper surface 

 of the head is rounded ; the snout prominent and subconical, protruding considerably beyond 

 the lower jaw. The mouth is rather small, and the posterior extremity of the maxillary 

 extends to a vertical line, which would be drawn midway between the anterior rim of the orbit 

 and the pupil. The eye is subelliptical, its horizontal diameter being contained about five 

 times in the length of the side of the head. The first dorsal fin is subtriangular ; its anterior 

 margin is situated a little posteriorly to the base of the pectorals. The first spine is a mere 

 rudiment ; the second spine is nearly as high as the third, which is the highest ; the fourth is 

 nearly equal to the second. A small spine is placed between the two dorsal fins, and a similar 

 one at the anterior margin of the second dorsal, which is higher anteriorly than posteriorly, 

 and twice and a half as long as the first. The caudal is posteriorly subtruncated, constituting 

 about the sixth of the total length. The anal is about one third deeper than long ; upon its 

 base as deep as the first dorsal is high. The posterior extremities of the pectorals extend to a 

 vertical line, which would intersect the anterior margin of the second dorsal. The tips of the 

 pectorals extend beyond the extremities of the ventrals, without, however, reaching the vent. 

 Br. IV: IV; D XI, 25; A 1,9; C3, 1, 7, 7, ], 2; VI, 5; P 20. 



The scales are of medium size, finely ciliated posteri uly, with radiating furrows upon their 

 anterior section only. Their general form is oblitjuely subquadrangular or rhomboid, deeper 

 than long. The lateral line is slightly arched under the first dorsal fin, otherwise parallel to 

 the dorsal outline. 



The upper regions are ash-grey, silvery above, with a small greyish-brown spot upon each 

 scale, constituting oblique and undulating lines. Beneath, the color is of a uniform metallic 

 yellow. 



