872 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 



rather strong, conical, slightly compressed; similar teeth on the pala- 

 tines, but none on the vomer; maxillary not concealed by preorbital, 

 Gill rakers long and strong. First dorsal long and rather low, of 18 to 22 

 rather stout spines, which are gradually shortened behind; interval 

 between the last spine and the second dorsal short ; second dorsal small, 

 followed by 8-9 finlets; anal fin similar, usually with one less finlet; 

 paired fins small ; pectorals placed below the level of the pupil. No air 

 bladder. Pyloric coeca very numerous, dendritical. Vertebrae normally 

 formed, 50 to 54 in number. Fishes of rather large size, of metallic 

 coloration. (Sarda; odpfia, the ancient name of the typical species, also 

 known as Amia, Pelamys, etc. ; so called from its being taken in the 

 neighborhood of the island of Sardinia; bence, also, the diminutive 

 oapdivr], the Sardine.) 



a. Dorsal spines 21; maxillary reaching beyond orbit. SARDA, 1259. 



act. Dorsal spines 18; maxillary not reaching beyond orbit. CHILENSIS, 1260. 



1259. SARDA SARDA (Bloch). 



(BONITO.) 



Head 3|; depth 4. D. XXI-I, 13-VIII; A. I, 13-VII; P. 10. Body 

 elongate, moderately compressed, robust; corselet distinct, small, not 

 extending beyond pectoral. Teeth moderate, slightly compressed, about 

 30 in each jaw. Gill rakers rather small, 11 or 12 below angle. Maxil- 

 lary reaching beyond orbit. Lateral line slightly undulating, with 

 nowhere a decided curve. Dark steel blue above, with numerous narrow, 

 dark stripes from the back obliquely downward and forward from the 

 back ; silvery below. Length 2 feet ; weight from 10 to 12 pounds. 

 Atlantic Ocean, on both coasts, north to Cape Cod ; very abundant ; a 

 food-fish of rather low grade. This species seems to inhabit the open 

 ocean, approaching the shores for food or purposes of spawning. (Eu.) 



Scomber pelamys, BRUNNICH, Ichth. Massil., 69, 1768, Marseilles; not of LINN-EUS. 



Scomber sarda, BLOCK, Ichthyologia, x, 35, pi. 334, 1793, Europe. 



Scymber mediteiraneus, BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 23, 1801, Marseilles; after BRUNNICH. 



Scomber pelamitus, RAFINESQTJE, Caratteri, 44, pi. 2, 1810, Palermo. 



Pelamys sarda, GUNTHER, Cat., n, 367, 1860, and of most European writers. 



Sarda medilerranea, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 427, 1883. 



Sarda sarda, DRESSLAR & FESLER, I. c., 440, pi. vni, 1889. 



1260. SARDA CHILENSIS, Cuvier & Valenciennes. 

 (CALIFORNIA BONITO ; SKIPJACK.) 



Head 31 ; depth 4|. D. XVIII-1, 12-VIII ; A. II, 11-VI. Head pointed, 

 conical, naked. Maxillary not reaching eye. Teeth strong, curved, 

 about 40 in each jaw. Pectorals placed just below the level of pupil, 

 scarcely half as long as head. Gill rakers long, strong, 16 or 17 below 

 angle. Corselet moderately developed. Lateral line undulating, making 

 a sharp curve below soft dorsal. Dark metallic blue ; sides dusky ; 

 several blackish stripes running obliquely upward and backward from 

 the pectoral region to the upper edge of the tail, these variable in num- 

 ber and direction. Length 2 to 3 feet ; weight 16 pounds. San Francisco 



