The Mojarritas 



a. Premaxillary groove wholly naked, linear or semioval, sometimes 



constricted at base, but never scaled. 



b. Eye very large, greater than snout, 2f in head; exposed portion of 



maxillary small, triangular dowi, 446 



bb. Eye moderate, about equal to snout, usually more than 3 in head; 

 exposed portion of maxillary triangular in front, oblong behind. 



c. Body elongate, the back little elevated, the greatest depth ^\ to j\ 



in length pseudogula, 445 



cc. Body deeper and more compressed, the back more elevated, the 

 greatest depth 2-f in length. 



d. Snout blunt; eye large, scarcely 3 in head; second anal spine large, 



2| to 3! in head; premaxillary groove linear. . .harengulus, 446 

 dd. Snout less blunt; eye smaller, more than 3 in head; premaxillary 



groove linear in young, becoming broader with age; second anal 



spine shorter, 3^ to 4^ in head calif orniensis, 446 



aa. Premaxillary groove scaled in front, the scales leaving a naked pit 



behind gula, 446 



Eucinostomus dowi is found on our Pacific coast about Panama 

 and the Galapagos Islands. It reaches 6 inches in length. 



E. pseudogula is found among the West Indies, about the Bermu- 

 das and south to Brazil. It reaches a length of 7 inches, and is not 

 uncommon. 



E. harengulus is one of the most abundant species and is common 

 on our Atlantic coast from north Florida southward to Brazil. It is 

 found about all the West Indies and is abundant about Porto Rico. It 

 reaches 7 or 8 inches in length. It is very close to E. dowi. 



E. californiensis, the mojarra cantilena, is found on the Pacific 

 coast of Mexico and from Guaymas to Panama, and has been once 

 taken at San Diego. It is exceedingly abundant in shallow bays and 

 estuaries, and enters freshwater streams. It attains a length of 8 

 inches and is of considerable food-value. 



E. gula, known variously as silver jenny, mojarra de ley, mojarra, 

 and petite gueule is excessively common everywhere in shallow water 

 and on sandy shores from the Carolinas to Brazil, and the young stray 

 north to Woods Hole. About Porto Rico it is quite 'common. It 

 reaches 5 or 6 inches in length and is much used for bait. 



All the species of this genus are plain silvery in colour, without any 

 prominent markings. 



446 



