30 FOSSIL FISHES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 



instead of curving backwards. This species has a few more vertebrae 

 than any known herring, but it can hardly be placed in any genus other 

 than CLUPEA. For the present, we leave it among the true herrings, to 

 which it seems most closely related. The California Sardine, SARDINIA 

 C^RULEA (Girard) has still weaker spinal processes and ribs. It has 

 fifty vertebrae. The California herring (CLUPEA PALLASI, Cuv. & Val.), 

 has fifty vertebrae. The Atlantic herring (CLUPEA HARENGUS L.) has 56. 

 A second specimen in almost all respects identical with the type and 

 lacking also the head was also obtained by Mr. Hadley. (No. CVII.) 



MEASUREMENTS 



Length (estimated) to base of caudal . . . 285 mm. 



Depth . . . . . . . .60 mm. 



Length of head (estimated) ... . . 75 mm. 



Length of caudal lobe . . . , . . 40 mm. 



Family DUSSUMIERIID-ffi. 



26. Smithites elegans Jordan and Gilbert, new genus and species. 



(Plate XXIX, fig. 3) 



A small slender fish two and a half inches long (No. IV), well-pre- 

 served, the snout and front of the jaws lost, the anal fin obliterated; no 

 scales present. From the diatomaceous shales of Bairdstown. Head about 

 4^4 in length to base of caudal, the greatest depth 5^. Dorsal rays, 

 about six present, some of the last rays obliterated ; ventrals extremely well 

 preserved, with six rays. Vertebrae apparently 25 -f- 32 = 57, perhaps 

 53 to 55 ; the neural and haemal spines well developed for the whole length 

 of the vertebral column. Caudal fin large, deeply forked, its lobes one 

 and a quarter times greatest depth of body. Eye moderate, about four in 

 head ; mouth apparently rather large ; pectorals moderate, one and a quar- 

 ter in depth ; ventrals about two in depth, inserted under middle rays of 

 dorsal; dorsal rather low and short, its insertion about midway between 

 tip of snout and base of caudal ; anal entirely obliterated. 



This species much resembles the little fish of the Gulf of Mexico, 

 known as JENKINSIA STOLIFERA (Jordan and C. H. Gilbert). It has 

 much in common with the genus JENKINSIA, which is a near ally of the 

 East Indian SPRATELLOIDES Bleeker. But the vertebrae in JENKINSIA 

 number but forty-two, a feature indicating generic distinction and accord- 

 ing with the supposed fact that the Monterey fauna lived in relatively cold 

 water. It must therefore be placed in a distinct genus which we name in 

 honor of Dr. James Perrin Smith, paleontologist of Stanford University. 



