126 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



Color. Nearly uniform, lustrous, silvery. Back bright plumbeous, or slate color. Dorsal 

 and ventral filaments black ; those of the anal yellowish. Caudal light yellow, darker at 

 the base. 



Length, 4-5. Depth, 2-5. 



Fin rays, D. 1.3.4.1.22; P. 18; V. 1.5; A. 2.1.19; C. 17 f 



In the Memoir on the fishes of New- York, by Dr. Mitchill, he describes or figures four 

 species under the name of Zeus. One of them is only figured under the name of Spinous 

 Dory. As no description accompanied it, Cuvier, from an inspection of the figure alone, 

 supposes it to be closely allied to, if not identical with, his Trachinotus fuscus. I have 

 described it as the T. spinosus. The next Zeus, we arrange under Vomer ; the third is the 

 Argyreiosus vomer ; and the last is the A. capillaris, the one now described. Dr. Mitchill 

 evidently supposed this to be the fish described under that name by Bloch, which, however, 

 belongs to another genus. In speaking of the species now under consideration, Cuvier and 

 Valenciennes observe, " Nous n'oserions affirmer si ce deuxieme filament (de la premiere 

 " dorsale) lui donne un caractere specifique sufBsant." We are disposed, however, from the 

 other characters detailed above, to consider it specifically distinct, although closely allied to 

 the preceding. As the same specific name is applied by Bloch and Mitchill, it might be 

 questioned whether the name given by the latter should not be changed ; and in a catalogue 

 which I drew up some years since, I had named it A. mitchilli. As they 'belong, however, 

 to different genera, there appears to be no necessity for making the change. The practice of 

 naming species after individuals has led to so many abuses, that it is gradually becoming 

 relinquished among the best continental writers. 



This beautiful and strangely shaped fish appears in our waters, but in very inconsiderable 

 numbers, about the latter end of August, when it is captured in gill-nets. I cannot, from 

 experience, say whether it is a very palatable article of food, but its congener is said to be 

 excellent. 



