HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 165 



FAMILY VI. ATHERINHLE. 



Mouth protractile; no notch on the upper jaw, nor tubercle on the lower. Suborbital 

 not dentated. A broad silvery band on the side. Very small crowded teeth on the 

 pharyngeals. The first branchial arch with long pectinations. Two dorsal fins, most 

 commonly distant. Ventrals behind the pectorals. 



GENUS I. ATHERINA, LIN. 



Body elongated. Two dorsals widely separated ; ventrals further back than the pec- 

 torals ; mouth highly protractile, and furnished with very minute teeth. A broad sil- 

 very band along each flank on all the known species. 



ATHERINA NOTATA, Mitch. 



The Dotted Silver-side. 



(PLATE XVI. FIG. 1.) 



Alkerina notata, Small Silver-side, MITCHH.L, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. Y., i. p. 446, pi. 4, fig. 6. 

 ZJAthdrine de Base (Atherina Boscii, Cuv., Atherina notata, MITCH.), Cuv. et YAL , x. p. 465. 

 Atherina Boscii, Small Silver-side, STOKER, Report, p. 62. 



" " " " AYRES, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist, IT. p. 262. 



Atherina notata, Dotted Silver-side, DEKAY, Report, p. 141, pi. 28, fig. 88. 



" " STOKER, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, n. p. 366. 



" " " Synopsis, p. 114. 



Color. Alive, the entire fish is translucent, with the exception of the abdomen, which 

 is rendered opaque by the contained viscera. The body is greenish above, with minute 

 black dots distributed along the edges of the scales upon the upper portion of the sides, 

 and over the entire scales upon the dorsum, making it to appear quite dark -colored. 

 Upon the sides a beautiful broad silvery band runs from the upper base of the pectorals 

 to the tail ; along its upper edge runs the black lateral line ; the portion of the body be- 

 neath this band is of a lighter color than that above it, and of a silvery appearance. Mi- 

 nute black dots exist between the rays of the anal fin at its base. The fins are all trans- 

 lucent, colorless, and articulated. The top of the head is covered with minute black dots, 

 similar to those on the scales. The space between the eyes is nearly black, owing to the 

 black pupils beneath. The pupils are deep black, the irides a beautiful silvery color. 

 A golden reflection is seen upon the operculum, which in some specimens is continued 

 along the abdomen to the vent. 



Description. The body is elongated, somewhat compressed, flattened upon the top of 



