116 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
insertion of dorsal and reaching 7% to anal. Color transparent 
greenish above, sides silvery. Back, dorsal and caudal dusted 
with pale dusky. Iris silvery. Length 53¢ inches. Raritan 
River. 
This excellent food-fish is found along our coast and sometimes 
enters the larger rivers. I have it from the Delaware. — It attains. 
the length of a foot. 
Osmerus mordax Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 821.—Abbott, 
Am. Nat., IV, 1870, p. 108, fig. 30.—Abbott, Nat. Rambles, 
1885, p. 478. 
Osmerus viridescens De Kay, N. Y. Fauna, Fish., II], 1842, 
Pp. 243. 
Osmerus sp. Norris, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1861, p. 58: 
Osmerus sergenti Norris, 1. c., 1868, p. 93. 
Family SYNODONTID&A. 
The Lizard Fishes. 
Body oblong or elongate, little compressed. Sides sometimes 
with phosphorescent spots or photophores. Mouth very wide, 
entire margin of upper jaw formed by long slender premaxillaries, 
closely adherent to which are slender maxillaries, latter mostly 
rudimental or obsolete and never widened at tip. ‘Teeth mostly 
cardiform on both jaws, tongue and palatines. Canines rarely 
present. Large teeth usually depressible. No barbels. Oper- 
cular bones usually thin, but complete. Gill-membranes separate, 
free from isthmus. Gill-rakers tubercular or osbolete. Pseudo- 
branchiz present. Branchiostegals usually numerous. Body 
covered with cycloid scales, rarely naked. Lateral line present. 
Skeleton rather well ossified. Air-vessel small or wanting. In- 
testinal canal short. Eggs inclosed in sacs of ovary and ex- 
truded through an oviduct. Dorsal fin short, of soft rays only. 
Adipose fin present, rarely obsolete. Anal moderate or long. 
Caudal forked. Pectorals and ventrals present. 
Mostly shore-fishes, some in great depths and with unknown 
habits. Not used as food. One genus and species on our shore. 
