AMMODYTIDA. — XLIX. 101 
aa. Scales moderate, about 110 in lateral line. 
252. S. guachancho Cuv. & Val. P. about reaching spinous 
DD) Head) 31.3) depth 7. D. Valo. Awd) 8). °24.. West 
Indies, rarely N. (The Spanish name.) 
We place next a family of uncertain relationship. 
Famity XLIX. AMMODYTIDAS. (THE Sanp LANCEs.) 
Body elongate, compressed, with small, cycloid scales; lateral line 
along side of back; mouth large, toothless, the chin projecting; up- 
per jaw very protractile; gill membranes separate, free; gill rakers 
long and slender; pseudobranchie large; D. long and low, of soft 
rays only; A. similar, shorter; C. forked; no ventrals; P. low. 
No air-bladder. Vertebre 63. Genera 4; species 8. Small fishes 
swimming in large schools, and burying themselves, by a quick move- 
ment, in sand. Coasts of N. regions. The relations of the family 
are still uncertain. They may be Anacanthini, Percesoces, or pos- 
sibly allies of the Scombroids. In many regards, especially the struc- 
ture of the gills, they resemble Sphyrena. 
a. Body with many transverse oblique folds; a fold of skin along edge of 
belly; vomer unarmed. | 0. S- 1 2 oe 6.6 «ss AMMODYTES, 116. 
116. AMMODYTES (Artedi) Linnzus. (dupos, sand; dva, dive.) 
253. A. tobianus L. Sanp Lance. LANntT. Olivaceous; a 
steely lateral stripe; P. reaching front of D. Head 43; depth 10. 
D. 60. A. 28. Lateral folds 125 to130. L.6. North Atlantic and 
Pacific, S.to N.J.; common N. (E£u.) The American form (var. 
americanus DeKay) has dorsal beginning a trifle further back. (An 
old name, unexplained.) 
OrpER XX. ACANTHOPTERI. (THE SpPINy-RAYED 
FISHES.) 
This order contains the great bulk of the spiny-rayed fishes, and 
includes a far greater variety of forms than any other of the so- 
called orders. In all, the ventrals, if present, are thoracic, or jugular, 
normally I, 5, the opercles and pharyngeals are well developed, the 
gills normal, usually 4 in number, and the premaxillary forming the 
whole border of the mouth. Usually the anterior rays of D. and A. 
are simple or spine-like. (dkavOa, spine; mrepdv, fin.) 
The various suborders of this group have not yet been fully de- 
fined or generally adopted. The following ten, of varying value, 
may be recognized for the fishes discussed in the present work: 
Discocephali, Scombriformes, Perciformes, Pharyngognathi, Epe- 
lasmia, Cataphracti, Haplodoci, Xenopterygii, Scyphobranchii, and 
Anacanthini. ¢ 
