38 



FOSSIL FISHES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 



in length to base of caudal. Snout in head 1.56; depth of head in its 

 length 4.42 ; eye 12 ; pectoral 12 ; ventral 6 ; anal 6+1 ; vertebrae 56 ; depth 

 of head in head 4.42; body slender, cylindrical, covered with very small 

 scales ; ribs and spines of hair-like slenderness ; vertebrae diamond-shaped, 

 without zygapophyses ; scales small and silvery, each with many minute 

 concentric striae; beak with faint traces of very fine teeth; jaws weak, 

 unequal, pointed; premaxillary free; upper jaw four-fifths length of 

 lower; preopercle very oblique, broadening rapidly downward, while 

 from its lower margin from a center radiates a number of fine striae ; 

 subopercle and branchiostegals broad. Ventral rays 6, the fin midway 

 between eye and base of caudal, shorter than pectoral; anal rays 

 6 -f V., inserted slightly nearer ventral than caudal fork, followed 

 by traces of five finlets. Caudal represented by trace of lower border, 

 four vertebrae supporting fin elements; dorsal obliterated. The second 

 specimen is rather deeper than the type, though beak apparently rather 

 stronger. This specimen resembles the living skipper, SCOMBERESOX 

 SAURUS L., an example of the latter from Woods Hole, being used for 

 comparison. It differs from it in the more slender head and body, 

 longer beak, and slenderer pectoral fin, which stands oblique. The 

 association of this fish with the pipe-fish and algae indicates its resort to 

 shallow sea and seaweeds for shelter and food. 



MEASUREMENTS. 



Column 1, S. SAURUS; 2, S. ACUTILLUS; 3, S. EDWARDSI. Measure- 

 ments of S. SAURUS are taken from figure 355 in Jordan's "Fishes." 



