46 ZOOLOGY. 
whilst the least depth, on the peduncle of the tail, is but two-fifths of the greatest. The greatest 
thickness is about one half of the greatest depth. The head is short, compressed like the body, 
and rounded upon its anterior outline. It constitutes about one fifth of the entire length. The 
nostrils are very much developed, placed towards the upper surface of the head, and nearer to 
the anterior rim of the eye than to the extremity of the upper jaw. The anterior opening is 
subcircular; the posterior one, subcrescentic. The eye is large and circular; its diameter is 
contained about three times in the length of the side of the head, and less than once in advance 
of its anterior rim. The mouth is small and slightly oblique; the posterior extremity of the 
upper maxillary extending to a vertical line which would pass immediately in adyance of the 
anterior rim of the eye when the mouth is closed. There is one row of teeth upon each jaw; 
on the dentary the teeth are much larger than on the intermaxillaries. Their form is flattened, 
dilated towards their upper edges, which are provided generally with five subconical points, the 
middle one being the longest, giving them the appearance of a digit. The palate is perfectly 
smooth, and unprovided with teeth. The opercular apparatus is very much developed, and 
subconvex upon its outer edge. The sub and interopercles are quite large, and occupy a prom- 
inent place. The opercle is narrow above, expanded below, and slightly convex posteriorly. 
The subopercle is curved, and in an oblique situation, with reference to the orientation of the 
head. The gill openings are continuous under the hyoidal apparatus; the branchiostegals, 
three in number, are well developed, curved and flattened, the outermost being but a little 
smaller and more slender than the innermost, or next to the opercular apparatus. 
The anterior margin of the dorsal fin is nearer to the extremity of the snout than to the tip 
of the caudal fin; it is much higher than long; its upper edge is rounded or subconvex. The 
rays bifurcate but once, and this for more than the half of their length. The anterior ray is 
rudimentary, the second undivided. The adipose is slender, nearer to the base of the caudal 
than to the posterior edge of the dorsal, and consequently situated behind the anal. The anal 
is longer than the dorsal, and nearly as long as it is deep; its exterior edge, convex anteriorly, 
is subconvex posteriorly. Its anterior margin is situated backwards of the posterior edge of 
the dorsal. There are very slight indications of a bifurcation of the second degree upon the 
tip of its central rays; the first being rudimentary, and the second simple or undivided, as is 
the case in the dorsal. The caudal fin, which constitutes about one fifth of the total length, is 
deeply forked posteriorly; its lobes are rather rounded, and acute only upon their extremity. 
The central rays, towards their extremity, exhibit a subdivision of the third degree. The 
insertion of the ventrals takes place upon the middle of the abdomen, somewhat in advance of 
the anterior margin of the dorsal. These fins are rather slender, with their tips acute, and 
reaching the vent. Their central rays bifurcate twice. The origin of the pectorals is situated 
near the inferior region of the thoracic belt. These fins are longer and more slender than the 
ventrals; their tip almost reaching the origin of the latter fins. Their anterior ray is simple; 
the central ones are but once bifurcated, and only towards the last third of their length. 
Br BOL DOO eA 4 Cr. MOS ales iViee-feaslole 
The scales are of moderate development, higher than long, subelliptical in shape, sometimes 
very irregularly so. Ten or eleven longitudinal rows may be counted upon the line of the 
greatest depth, and six or seven rows upon the peduncle of the tail. The lateral line is not to 
be seen. 
The ground-color is olivaceous brown, with a silver band along the middle of the flanks, 
extending from the upper angle of the opercular apparatus to the base of the caudal fin. The 
cheeks, the opercles, and branchiostegal apparatus are silvery. A blackish stripe may be traced 
all along the upper edge of the silvery band of the sides. The dorsal region is minutely dotted 
with biackish, the dots being more particularly crowded upon the outline of the scales, These 
dots extend to the upper surface of the head, and sparingly to the upper region of the thoracic 
and abdominal regions; also to the inferior half of the peduncle of the tail. The dorsal, cau- 
