1 72 BACKBONED ANIMALS. 



Wyandotte and Mammoth Caves are noted localities for 

 them. The Amblyopsis is viviparous. 



Herring-Pikes (ElopidJ) This family includes the 

 tarpon {Megalops thrissoides) and the big-eyed herring. The 

 former attains a length of over eight feet, and is the most 

 beautiful of all fishes, ranging from Cape Cod to Florida. 

 An allied form, the Studis or Piraruca, of South America, 

 attains a length of fifteen feet, and a weight of four hun- 

 dred pounds. They have skeletons of most massive build. 

 The young, according to Schomburgh, enter the mother's 

 mouth in time of danger. Allied are the herrings (Clupei- 

 dcz), shad, menhaden, and the gizzard-shad. They are 

 nearly all important food-fishes. Menhaden oil and guano 

 are valued. The scales of the tarpon are used in orna- 

 mental work. 



Salmon {Salmonidce) . Salmon are found fa Europe 

 and America, in the latter country from the polar regions 

 to Cape Cod. They live in both fresh and salt water. In 

 the breeding-season they ascend the rivers, leaping the 

 falls with great skill, and at this time are often caught. 

 The eggs are about the size of a pea, and are deposited 

 in depressions or nests. When very young, they are 



banded and known as 

 parr (Fig. 214). At a 

 year old they are sil- 

 very, and previous to 

 descending the rivers 

 FIG. 214. Young salmon (parr). are known as smolt. 



When they return from 



their first visit to the sea they are called grilse, only after 

 their second return being known as salmon. Allied is the 

 common trout, that lives permanently in fresh water, 

 breeding in the autumn and early winter. 



NOTE. Salmon are found in the Yukon River, Alaska, 3,000 miles 

 from the sea. In 1882 the Columbia River salmon-fisheries alone real- 

 ized in first hands $2,782,000, giving employment to 7,000 persons. 



