Jordan and Iwnnann. Fishes of North America. 113 



KAFINESQUE, Analyse do hi Nature, 88, 1815, (calva); substitute for Amia, regarded as 



;,i,. slmrt for symmetry. 



Characters of the genus included above, (a/um, ancient name of some 

 fish, probably the bonito, Sarda sarda.) 



165. AMIA CALVA, Linnaeus. 



(MrpFTsu ; ftooFTSH ; BowFtN ; GRTNTH.K ; " JOHN A. GRINDI.E;" LAWYER ; POISSON DE MABAIS.) 

 Dark olive or blackish above, paler below; sides with traces of dark 

 reticulate markings ; lower jaw and gular plate often with round blackish 

 spots; fins mostly dark, somewhat mottled. Male with a round black 

 spot at base of caudal above, this surrounded by an orange or yellowish 

 shade; in the female this ocellus is wanting. Lateral line nearly median, 

 directed slightly upward at each end. D. 48 (42 to 53) ; A. 10 to 12 ; V. 7. 

 L;it. line, 67 (65 to 70). Head 3f in length; depth 4 to 4. Male about 18 

 inches in length; female 24 or more. Great Lakes and sluggish waters 

 from Minnesota to Virginia, Florida, and Texas; abundant. A voracious 

 and gamy fish of remarkable tenacity of life. The flesh is peculiarly soft 

 and pasty and is of no value for food. 

 Anna culm, LiNN.EUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. xu, 1766, 500, Charleston, S. C.; GUNTHER, Cat, vin,325, 



1870. 



Amia ocellicattda, RICHARDSON, Fauna Bor. Amer., m, 236, 1836, rf, Lake Huron. 

 Amia ocridnilalis, DE KAY, New York Fauna: Fishes, 269, 1842, <J>, St. Marys River, Mich. 

 Anna HKinnorato, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, xix, 412, 1846, New Orleans. 



AiHiaoriiatu, LE SUEUR, iu Cuvier & Valenciennes, I. c.,420, Chibault, on Mississippi River. 

 Amia ciridis, LE SUEUR, I. c., 421, New Orleans. 



AmiacctHhta, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, I. c., 424, Lake Erie, after Kirtland. 

 Amia letitigiuosa, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, I. c., 426, after Bonnaterre, no locality. 

 Amia subcffndea, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, I. c., 427, New Orleans. 

 Amiacinerea, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, I. c., 430, Charleston, South Carolina. 

 A in in retiadata, LE SUEUR, I. c.. 431, Wabash River. 



Amia thonipsoni, DUMRIL, Hist. Nat. Poiss., n, 419, 1870, Lake Champlain. 

 Aiiiunjimwlii, DUSIRIL, I. c., 423, 1870, Upper Mississippi. 



Series TELEOSTEI. 



(THE BONY FISHES.) 



This group is sufficiently characterized in the analysis on page 97. The 

 name (rt-Aetof, perfect; bar'eov, bone) is not entirely distinctive, inasmuch 

 as the skeleton is well ossified in certain Ganoids. In general, however, 

 the group is well characterized by the absence of the anatomical features 

 ascribed to the Ganoids. 



We begin the series with those Teleosts in which the air bladder con- 

 nects throughout life with the alimentary canal as distinguished from 

 those in which this connection is a feature of.immaturity. Slight as this 

 character is, it has value as an indication of relationship. Among these 

 forms in which the air duct is retained there are 2 well-marked series, 

 probably distinct in origin, the one characterized by a singular modifica- 

 tion of the anterior vertebrae, the other without this character. The first 

 of the groups (OSTARIOPHYSI) includes the great majority of living fresh- 

 water fishes. From the other group the specialized spiny-rayed fishes and 

 most marine fishes seem to be descended. 

 F. N. A. 9 



