PISCES. 225 



vascular, and appears to serve as a respiratory organ in itself, and also to 

 intercept and retain water for a considerable time, sufficient to keep the 

 gills moist during the terrestrial journeys of the fish. An Indian species, 

 Anabas scandens, or climbing perch (/?/. 84, fig. 13), can spend some 

 considerable time out of the water in search of food. It is even said to 

 climb inclined trees hanging over the water, but this has been doubted. 

 Several genera of this curious family are known ; all, however, Asiatic or 

 African. PI. 85, fig. 6, represents Ophiocephalus striatus, an Indian form. 



MuGiLiDiE. These have a nearly cylindrical body, with two distinct 

 dorsal fins, the first with four spinous rays. Ventrals rather behind the 

 pectorals ; gills, six-rayed. Head depressed, covered with large scales or 

 polygonal plates. Teeth very fine. The most conspicuous genus is 

 Mugil, several species of which occur in the United States. Mugil allmla 

 or the common mullet, is caught in great abundance along the whole 

 southern Atlantic coast of the United States ; where, indeed, it forms a 

 much esteemed article of food, although rather too fat and rich. The 

 roe is considered to be an especial delicacy. These fish are caught in 

 seines throughout the greater part of the year. The genus Atherina is 

 composed of small fish, with very protractile mouth, elongated body, two 

 dorsals far apart, the anterior spinous. A silvery band on the side, ventrals 

 behind the pectorals. Fii'st branchial arch with bony pectinations. This 

 genus is represented in North America by several species, mostly marine. 



The passage to the true Scombridce, or mackerel family, is made by the 

 NoTACANTHiDiE. The body is long, and supplied with small soft scales ; 

 snout obtuse, projecting beyond the mouth, which is furnished with fine 

 close teeth. No true dorsal fin, but a series of free spines on the back, 

 unconnected by a membrane. Free spines before the anal. Notacantlius 

 nasus is found in the Greenland seas. 



ScoMBRiD^. This family, in the economical value of its component species, 

 yields to no others, the Gadidce and ClupeidcB not excepted. It embraces 

 the various mackerels, tunnies, dories, &c., together with many others, of 

 less general distribution, but of great local abundance and excellence. The 

 fishes of this family have small scales, so minute, indeed, as to cause the 

 skin to appear smooth ; the ventrals are without scales, theopercles without 

 spines or denticulations, the caudal generally large and powerful, and the 

 intestines mostly with numerous coeca. 



At the head of the family stands the genus Scomber, or true mackerel, 

 characterized by the lusiform elongated body, two small cutaneous crests 

 on the sides of the tail ; some of the posterior rays of the anal and second 

 dorsal fins free, forming finlets ; and one row of small conical teeth in the 

 jaw. Scomber vernalis, or the common mackerel, is very abundant along 

 the more northern coast of the United States. It is not usually caught in 

 quantity before the beginning or middle of June, although obtained in 

 greater or less number along the coast of Massachusetts throughout the 

 year. This fish is exceedingly voracious, but capricious as voracious, 

 sometimes biting with the greatest readiness, and at others entirely refusing 

 the bait. The number and occurrence of mackerel in particular localities 



429 



