FISHES COLLECTED IN JAPAN. 29 
50. SCOMBERESCOX SAIRA, N. S$. 
PLATE VII, fig. 1. Reduced. 
Nores.—F'rom Simoda. 11 inches, Saira-owoo. 
This curious fish is evidently a Scomberesox, but in some points so different from the known 
species of that genus that it will perhaps be found to constitute a new one when specimens can 
be examined. No Scomberesox has been hitherto described as from Japan. The S. Forster of 
New Zealand, (Cuv. and Val., XVilII, 481,) seems to come nearest to it, but that fish has the 
usual prolonged mandibles of the others. 
The body is regularly fusiform in profile, and probably cultrate in section ; head and jaws 
tapering toa point; these last acute, of even length, and not prolonged, as in other Scom- 
beresocidae ; nostrils large; eyes large and round; head and body covered with rather large 
scales. Ventrals not indicated in the figure. Dorsal with nine or ten rays, a little in advance 
of the anal, both low and of subequal height, with five accessory finlets above, and four below. 
Lateral line indistinct. Caudal small, and deeply forked, with pointed lobes. 
If the length (114 inches) from the snout to centre of caudal margin be divided into one hun- 
dred parts, the following proportions are found : 
Se ee ee = ee ee eee See ee eemn 4.50 SwOut to) VeDtrdls) oa === Seeeen- see eee ee 48.00? 
Snowtqiorevestaashat eon o- tee ae eee eeaecee = 9.00 Snoustoldorsallses = see eae ee ee = 63. 00 
Diameter(of eyes a eae ooo ems asee = =e 3.00 Baselopdorsal, Longe Asa. eee see eee ela eee 10. 00 
Snauitwtioropercles:= = 2e— see ae eo ae alate 21.09 Anterior rays of dorsal-.----------.------------ 5.00 
Greatest height of body (at 40. 00 from snout)----- 11.00 Snouttovanaler san: ween, Oe renee eee 64. 00 
Heiphtvoveriopercles|asec-—Ue—a6=---— == 4-2-5 Be 5S500) Basejonandl- done sa-seere a peat sae = = eee 11. 00 
Height/atsbase:of caudal: -.2_ 2 —- 2255 eee 2.00 PATEL LONG ASC. O ete ea ae a te 4.00 
Snout to pectorals....--.------- See Res eee 22.00 Outerjeandall Tay Same soso ae a eee ce 13. 00 
Pectormls ong 2222202 ohco sn aw Some oe eon 7.00 
It will thus be seen that the jaws form but } of the length of the head, that the whole head 
is but 42 times in the total length, aud that the eyes are rather nearer to the snout than to the 
opercles—in all which it varies from all others of the genus. 
Colors.—Back of head and body dark greenish blue, becoming lighter on sides of head and 
body and white beneath, as far as the anal, Irides pale green. Pectorals dark dusky blue, 
dorsal and caudal dull green, finlets dusky blue, anal pale dusky. 
The figure seems to have been drawn of the natural size. But one specimen of it was 
observed, 
The local name Saira-owoo signifies ‘‘spear fish,’ which has been adopted as its specific name. 
A similar name, Saiwo, occurs in the Japanese Encylopedia.—(See Abel Remusat. Notices et 
extraits des manuscrits. Vol. XI, p. 216, No. 30.) Judging from the Japanese figure only, 
either Cuvier or Remusat has added to the local name ‘sorte de fistulaire.’’ Owoo and Iwo 
both signify ‘‘fish,’’ and are simply dialectic variations. 
5 
