FISHES. 207 



seas. It may be at once known by the long filiform tail, and by its beautiful silvery 

 color. In allusion to the color it is sometimes calle<l, along the southern coast, silver- 

 eel, and still other names are given, such as skip-jack in the Indian river region, and 

 sword-fish about Pensacola. It grows occasionally to a length of four or five feet, but 

 is not often seen more than two or two and a half feet long. It is very rarely met 

 with along the European coast and apparently does not enter the Mediterranean. It 

 swims along the surface of the ocean, and, as one of the names (skip-jack) indicates, 

 is jirone to leap out of the water. Several instances were related to Professor Goode 

 of this fish throwing itself from the water into row-boats, and a small one fell into a 

 boat in crossing the Arlington River where the water is nearly freslu In some parts 

 of Florida and Jamaica it is taken in sufficient numbers for the table, and is esteemed 

 as a ^^ery good food-fish. It is generally caught with a hook, and the fishing takes 

 ])lace liefoi'e day ; the " lines arc; jiuUed in as fast as they are thrown out, with the cer- 

 tainty that the cutlass has been hooked. As many as ninety boats have been counted 

 on this fishing ground at daybreak during the season," all hauling in the fish. 



The most interesting and important of the Scombroidea have now been noticed, but 

 there are many forms that have been placed with the families enumerated or in dis- 

 tinct ones near them : of such the Nematistiid.!;, Bkamid-e, Pempheridid^ and Dke- 

 TANiD-E really ajipear to be closely related to one or other of the forms described. 

 Others seem to be more distant, and such are the Teteagonueid-e, Equulud-e, 

 Lampridid^, Luvarid.e, Menid^, Geammicolepidid^, Kuetid^, Capeoid-e, and 

 Zexid.e. Only a few of these can be noticed. 



The family Teteagonueid-e has been establisheil for a single species which is so 

 different from all others that it is not even j)lain to what it is next of kin. Bv Dr. 

 Giinther it has been associated with the Atherinidte, but the best ichthyologists are 

 disposed to place it near the Scombridie. The form is somewhat like that of some of 

 the ScombridiB, but the scales are peculiar, in being traversed with several keels or 

 striae; the lower jaw is deep, and both the upper and lower have uniserial compressed 

 teeth; the dorsal is double, the spines feeljle, and the rayed about as long .as the 

 spinous portion ; the vt'Utrals are slightly behin<l the breast. The only species, Tetra- 

 f/oimrus niger, is a nidilei-ately deep water inhabitant of the Mediterranean and 

 Atlantic. 



There is a fish of large size and very lirilliaiit colors, whose home seems to be 

 the temperate liigh-seas of the Atlantic; it is, however, not unfrequently thrown 

 upon the English shores, and has also, but very rarely, been taken on the American. 

 The species has received the popular name of opah, and king of the herrings, the 

 scientific name Lamjjris g}Mata or luna, and is the type of family Lajipridid-E. The 

 generic name, derived from the Greek lamjwos (radiimt), indicates its brilliant colors. 

 The body is much comjjressed and oviform, and has very minute scales. The head is 

 comparatively small, and somewhat pointed or beaked forwards ; the mouth is small 

 and toothless; the premaxlUaries are veiy protractile; there is a single long and falci- 

 form dorsal fin destitute of true spines; the anal is likewise long, but not at all M- 

 cate; the ventral fins originate considerably behind the jiectorals and are, in position 

 at least, sub-abdominal, being pushed backw.ards by the great development of the 

 8ca]njlar arch ; they are remarkable for the numerous (13) rays. 



The color has been described as "a rich brocade of silver and lilac, rosy on the 

 belly; everywhere with round silvery si)0ts; head, opercles, and back with ultrama- 

 rine tints; jaws and fins vermilion." The flesh is reddish and somewhat resembles in 



