328 U. S. P. R. E. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



Family SCOPBLIDAE, Owen. 



The upper arcade of trie mouth is formed by the premaxillar bones, the maxillaries them 

 selves being situated behind the former. The body is either covered with scales or scaleless. 

 There is also an adipose fin, as in the Salmonids, most of the Siluroids, and Characinids. The 

 pseudobranchia or accessory gills being gill-like in their structure. The swimming or air 

 bladder is generally wanting. In most instances pyloric appendages are extant. An oviduct 

 may also be observed, leading the eggs out of the ovary, and thus preventing the latter from 

 falling into the abdominal cavity. This oviduct is observed in Characinids and others, but is 

 wanting in Salmonids, in which the eggs fall into the abdominal cavity before they make their 

 exit from the body of the female. 



Siti.Scopelini, MULL, in Wiegm. Archiv. f. Naturg. 1843, I, 321 ; &, 1845, T, 131. 



Scopelidae, OWEN, Lect. Comp. Anat. Vertebr. 1846, 48. BD. Iconogr. Encycl. II, 1850, 203. 



In North America we have but two genera of this family, Scopelus and Saurus, the latter 

 alone having furnished us with but one representative from the Pacific coast. 



And not having had on hand specimens of it, we can simply state that it was described under 

 the name of 



SAURUS (LATJRIDA) LUCIOCEPS, Ay res, 



in the Proceedings of the California Academy of Natural Sciences, I, 1855, 66. But we could 

 not ascertain from its description whether it truly belongs to the genus Saurus. It is likewise 

 difficult to tell whether Aristotle s name of Laurida is applicable, as a substitute, to the genus 

 Saurus as a whole, or else to one of its subdivisions ; at any rate the objection raised against it 

 deserves no notice from the systematic writers. 



Family CLUPEILAE, Bonap. 



This, the herring family, includes fishes, the body of which is always covered with scales, 

 although, from the very deciduous nature of the latter, they are rarely seen upon such specimens 

 as we find preserved in the majority of the museums and private collections. The greatest care 

 and delicate handling is required in order to secure specimens with all the scales in their 

 natural position. The adipose dorsal fin, which we have noticed in the Siluroids, Salmonids, 

 Scopelids, and others, is totally wanting here. 



The upper arcade of the mouth is formed in front by the premaxillar bones and sideways by 

 the maxillaries. The dentition varies according to the genera. The pseudobranchia enter 

 into the structure of these fishes. The stomach is provided with a cul-de-sac, and the pylorus 

 with numerous appendages (coeca); the swimming or air bladder being simple, although in 

 communication, through an air duct, with the throat. 



SIN. Clupes, Cuv. Regn. Anim. II, 1817, 171 ; 2d ed. II, 1829; &, ed. Illuetr. Poiss. 271. 



Clupcidae, BONAP. Saggio Distr. metod. Anim. Vertebr. 1831, 116. STOKER, Synops. 1846, 203. 



Clupidae, D*;KAY, New Y. Fauu. IV, 1812, 250. 



Ctupeoideae, RICHAKDS. Faun. Bor. Amer. Ill, 1836, 229. 



Clupeoides, Cuv. & VAL. Hist. nat. Poiss. XX, 1847, 1. 



Clupeoidei, MULL, in Witgm. Archiv fur Naturg 1843, I, 324 ; &, 1845, I, 136. 



