Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 411 



along top of head. Vertebra? numerous, 42 -j- 28 = 70. A single species 

 known, found in all warm seas. In this, and probably in related families, 

 the young pass through a metamorphosis, analogous to that seen in the 

 Conger Eels. They are for a time elongate, band-shaped, with very small 

 head and loose transparent tissues. From this condition they become 

 gradually shorter and more compact, shrinking from 3 or 3 inches in 

 length to 2 inches. According to Dr. Gilbert, this process, like that seen 

 in various eels, is a normal one, through which all individuals pass. In 

 the Gulf of California, where these fishes abound, these band-shaped 

 young are often thrown by the waves on the beach in great masses. 

 (Clupeidw, group Albulina, Giinther, Cat., vii, 468, 469, 1868.) 



199. ALBULA (Gronow) Bloch & Schneider. 



(LADY-FISHES.) 



ConorJiyncus, NOZEMAN, Act. Select, in, 382, 1757, (nonbinomial). 



Albula, GRONOW, Zoophyl., 102, 1763, (nonbinomial). 



Albula, BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 432, 1801, (cotior hi/ncus = vulpes). 



litth/rimts, LACEPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 45, 1803, (banana = vulpes). 



Glosaodus, CUVIER, in Agassiz, Spix, Pise. Bras., 48, 1829, (forskdh^vnJpes). 



Characters of the genus included above. (Latin albas, white.) 



672. ALBULA VULPES (Linnaeus). 



(LADY-FISH; BONE-FISH; MACAB!; SANDUCHA; BANANA-FISH.) 



Head 3|; depth 4. D. 15; A. 8; scales 9-71-7. Upper lobe of caudal 

 the longer. A broad band of peculiar, elongate, membranaceous scales 

 along middle line of back; accessory ventral scale large. Brilliantly 

 silvery ; olivaceous above ; back and sides with faint streaks along the 

 rows of scales; fins plain; axils dusky. Length 18 inches to 3 feet. 

 Tropical seas, on sandy coasts, almost universally distributed and gen 

 erally abundant, ranging northward on our coasts to San Diego and Long 

 Island. A beautiful and active fish, in most places little valued as food, 

 but in some regions, as Key West, highly appreciated, (vulpes, fox.) 



Unbarana, MARCGRAVE, Hist. Bras., 1G48, Brazil. 



Vulpes bahamensis, [the BONE-FISH], CATESBY, Nat. Hist. Oarolinas, etc., pi. 11, fig. 1, 1737, 



Bahamas. 

 Esox vulpes, LINNJEUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. x, 1758, 313, Bahamas; based on the Bone-fish, Vtdpet 



bahamensis, of CATESBY. 



Argentina glossodonta, FORSKAL, Descr. Anim., 68, 1775,Djidda. Arabia. 



Macabi, PARRA, Dif. Piezas Cuba, 88, pi. 35, fig. 1, 1787, Cuba; based on Unbarana of MARCGRAVE. 

 Synodus argenleus, BLOCK & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 398, 1801, Asia. 

 Clupea brasiliensis, BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 427, 1801, Brazil. 

 Albula conmyncJius, BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 432, 1801, Antilles; after GRONOW and 



PLVMIER; called Albula plumieri on plate 86. 

 Amia immaadata, BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 451, 1801, Central America; after 



Macabi of PARRA. 



Butyrinus banana, LACKPEDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 46, 1803, fie de France. 

 Clupea macrocephala, LACEPKDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 426, 1803, Martinique; on a drawing by 



PLUMIER. 

 Glossodus forskdli, AGASSIZ, Spix, Pise. Bras., 49, 1829, Bahia; called Kti,,,-an}; Kerictts and 



Engraulis bahiensis on the plates, 22 and 24. 

 Albula parrse, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poisa., xix, 339, 1846, Martinique; Bahia; 



Rio de Janeiro. 



