FISHES OF NEW YORK 415 



head rather long and subconical, compressed, its length nearly 

 equal to depth of body, nearly one third of total length without 

 caudal; snout long and pointed, three eighths as long as the 

 head, twice as long as the eye; interorbital space convex, indis- 

 tinctly keeled, its width equal to length of snout; maxilla 

 broadly expanded behind, reaching to below middle of pupil;, 

 mandible extending to below hind margin of eye; nostrils small r 

 midway between tip of snout and eye; gill rakers 3fl3, tlu> 

 longest two -thirds as long as eye. The spinous dorsal origi- 

 nates a little behind the pectoral insertion and directly over 

 the origin of the ventral; the base of the fin is as long as the 

 postorbital part of the head; the first spine is much shorter 

 than the second, the third or fourth is longest, about as long 

 as the eye, the last is minute. The second dorsal is preceded by 

 a very short, stout spine; the base of -the fin equals its distance 

 from the nostril; the longest ray is equal to postorbital part 

 of head, the last ray one fourth as long as the head and 

 reaches to the base of the caudal fin. A low, unarmed keel 

 is developed on the caudal peduncle. The caudal fin is deeply 

 forked, the outer rays being nearly as long as the head. The 

 anal fin is preceded by a single very small spine; the longest 

 ray is one third as long as the head, the last ray one fourth 

 as long as the head; the margin of the second dorsal and anal 

 fins is very slightly concave. The ventral is very long, reaching 

 nearly to the vent, and to below the 13th ray of the dorsal, its- 

 length nearly equal to length of head. The pectoral reaches to 

 below origin of second dorsal, its length equal to snout and eye 

 combined. Lateral line strongly arched over the pectoral. 

 D. VII, I, 37 to 38; A. I to II, i, 20 to 21; V. I, 5; P. i, 19. 



Color bluish above, lower parts white; five or six broad dark 

 bands on the sides, extending on the dorsal and anal fins; a 

 narrow dark band obliquely from the spinous dorsal to the eye; 

 spinous dorsal black; ventral black above, pale beneath; tips of 

 caudal fin white. The bands become fainter or disappear in 

 old fish. 



The banded pilot is found on our east coast from Cape Ann 

 to Cape Hatteras; it reaches the length of 2 or 3 feet. The 



