FAMILY SCOMBRIDZ — ELACATRE. 113 
(EXTRA-LIMITAL.) 
N. ductor. (Cuv. et. Vat. Vol. 8, p. 312; and pl. 74, fig. 235 of this work.) Bluish, with five 
darker transverse bands; two of them passing through the dorsal and anal fins, Tail bordered with 
dark blue, tipped with white. 4-12 inches. South-Carolina. 
GENUS ELACATE. Cuvier. 
Head depressed. No carina on the sides of the tail. No finlets. Body elongated. No free 
spines before the anal. Ventral fins thoracic. 
THE NORTHERN CRAB-EATER. 
ELACATE ATLANTICA. 
PLATE XXV. FIG. 77. ONE-FOURTH NATURAL SIZE. 
Gasterosteus canadus. Lin, Syst. Nat. 12 Ed. p, 491. 
Scomber niger. Buocn, pl. 337. 
Centronote gardenien. LACEPEDE. 
The Crab-eater, Centronotus spinosus. Mrtcutt, Lit. and Phil. Soe. Vol. 1, p. 490, pl. 3, fig. 9. 
L? Elacate d@’ Amérique, E. atlantica. Cuv. et Vau. Hist. Poiss. Vol. 8, p. 334, 
Characteristics. Deep black above; lighter on the sides; white beneath. A. slate-colored 
band along its side. Length 15 to 30 inches. 
Description, from a recent specimen. General form and color of an Echeneis. Head 
broad, and rounded at the snout; it is depressed as far back as the first dorsal spine. Body 
cylindrical, tapering. Scales minute, oblong, impressed, and ascending far up the vertical 
fins. Lateral line irregular in its course, and indistinct. Nostrils double, nearer the eyes 
than to the snout; the anterior vertically oval. Eyes large ; irides white. Teeth on the 
lower jaw minute, bristly in several series, and separated in the centre by a naked interval ; 
under the lens, they appear pyramidal, acute and recurved. Tongue broad, reddish, covered 
to its margin with numerous patches of card teeth ; in the centre, a distinct oval cartilaginous 
patch, with teeth somewhat more robust. Similar teeth on the upper jaw, palatines and 
pharyngeals ; the latter somewhat longer. Lower jaw longest. 
Anterior to the dorsal fin are eight distinct equidistant triangular spines, 0+2 in height, and 
about 0+5 apart; the posterior spine nearly concealed in the flesh of the dorsal. 'The dorsal 
fin is very long, elevated and triangular in front, and, after the thirteenth ray, nearly of equal 
height to the end; the third and fourth rays are longest: this fin commences midway between 
the base of the pectoral and the origin of the anal fin, and terminates above the end of this 
latter fin. Pectoral fins five inches long, falciform, composed of twenty rays; the first spi- 
nous: a strong fold of skin behind this fin. Ventrals short, broad and pointed, with one 
subspinous and five branched rays. The anal fin resembles the dorsal in shape, but its rays 
Fauna — Parr 4. 15 
