Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 799 



from tip of snout to an eye's diameter beyond upper angle of pectorals. 

 Origin of anal midway between base of caudal and posterior base of 

 pectorals, the base equal to distance from tip of snout to base of pec- 

 torals ; longest ray equal to snout and eye. Pectorals reaching beyond 

 origin of ventrals, l\ to 1 in head. Ventrals reaching halfway to vent, 

 1$ to 2 in head, their origin midway between front of anal and edge of 

 preopercie. Vertical fins nearly or quite scaleless. Scales large and 

 firm, those above with the edges distinctly crenate. Color greenish, the 

 black rather pale, the scales thickly dusted with brown dots ; a narrow 

 vertebral band, which is anteriorly accompanied by a short line on each 

 side; this band is broadest posteriorly; a bluish-silvery lateral band, 

 bordered by dark above ; upper parts dotted with black ; sides and belly 

 paler than back, the upper two rows of scales below lateral band ante- 

 riorly with a few dots ; tip of snout, head between eyes, and yy-shaped 

 area on top of head, dark ; from the occipital mark a streak of dots 

 extends to base of pectorals ; only a few dots on top of opercles ; lower 

 jaw dusky; lining of opercle dark; fins all pale. Panama; numerous 

 specimens, the largest 4J inches long, obtained by the Albatross. (Named 

 for Dr. Charles Henry Gilbert, who first discovered the species.) 



Menidia gilberti, JORDAN & BOLLMAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1889, 155, Panama. (Type, No. 

 41165. Albatross Coll.) 



1165. MENIDIA SARDIN A (Jenkins & Evermann). 

 (FEZ DEL REY.) 



Head H in length to base of caudal (5 in total); depth 6(6f); eye mod- 

 erate, 31 in head, li in interorbital space. D. IV-I, 9; A. I, 25; scales 

 6-45-5. Body rather slender, elongate, greatly compressed ventrally. 

 Head short, greatly flattened above ; snout a little greater than eye, 

 blunt, with two evident folds or grooves across it ; maxillary protractile, 

 very broad, not reaching orbit ; cleft of mouth oblique, curved, the 

 lower jaw but slightly included. Teeth in each jaw very small and 

 wide-set, none on vomer or palatines; gill rakers long and slender. 

 First dorsal short and low, its origin a trifle nearer tip of caudal fin than 

 end of snout, entirely in front of origin of anal. Space between first 

 and second dorsals equals the length of both snout and eye. Distance 

 from beginning of second dorsal to base of caudal fin equals that from 

 end of snout to insertion of pectorals, the fin lying over middle of anal ; 

 the first rays are highest, their length being a little greater than the 

 diameter of orbit. Origin of anal under anterior part of the interdorsal 

 space, one and one-half times as far from snout as from base of caudal ; 

 length of its base about twice that of the second dorsal, and about equal 

 to head ; the first rays the longest. Pectorals short, about i length of 

 head. Ventrals small, short, inserted much in front of first dorsal and 

 a little nearer snout than base of caudal, their tips not nearly reaching 

 anal. Scales large, cycloid, not very firm. General color pale, each side 

 with a broad plumbeous lateral band, two scales in width, and equaling 

 length of head; the upper third of this band is much the darker; 



