212 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
It is only known from Dr. Abbott's reference. 
Cypselurus fercatus Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 815. 
Sub-Order PERCESOCES. 
The Perch Pike Fishes. 
Key to the families. 
a. Lateral line wanting; teeth small or wanting. 
b. Carnivorous; body and head elongate; stomach not gizzard-like. 
ATHERINID: 
bb. Eating mud and vegetation; head short and broad; stomach gizzard- 
like with long intestines. MUGILID®. 
aa, Lateral line present; teeth strong, unequal; head long and pointed. 
SPHYRENIDE. 
Family ATHERINID. 
The Silversides. 
Body rather elongate, somewhat compressed. Cleft of mouth 
moderate. ‘Teeth small, on jaws and sometimes on vomer and. 
palatines, rarely wanting. Premaxillaries protractile or not.. 
Opercular bones without spines or serrature. Guill-openings wide. 
Gill-membranes not connected, free from isthmus. Gills 4, a slit 
behind fourth. Gill-rakers usually long and slender. Pseudo- 
branchiz present. Branchiostegals 5 or 6. Third and fourth 
superior pharyngeals co-ossified, with teeth. Air-vessel present. 
No pyloric coeca. Vertebrze numerous, usually about 23-+-23—46. 
Body covered with scales of moderate or small size, which are 
usually, but not always, cycloid. No lateral line, some scales 
often with rudimentary mucous tubes. Dorsal fins 2, well sepa- 
rated, first of III to VIII slender flexible spines, second of soft 
rays. Anal with a weak spine, similar to soft dorsal, but usually 
larger. Pectorals moderate, inserted high. Ventrals small, ab- 
dominal, not far back, of I small spine and 5 soft rays. 
Carnivorous fishes, mostly small, living in great schools near 
the shore of temperate and tropical seas, a few in fresh-water. 
All have a silvery band along the sides, sometimes underlaid by 
