32 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. IO7 



terial of B. pair onus, wherein examples of two species were confused. 

 It is fortunate that Goode stated that his description was based on 

 specimens from Brazos Santiago, Tex., which definitely make Goode's 

 name, B. patronus, available for the large-scale Gulf menhaden, and 

 leaves the fine-scale one without a name. The situation is explained 

 in more detail in the account of B. patronus (p. 14). 



Gunter (1945, p. 27) recognized this species as different from 

 B. patronus, which he designated B. tyrannus. However, he did not 

 recognize it as new and he did not offer a formal description, though 

 he did say, "The writer suddenly became aware after months of work 



on the Texas coast that 2 species of Brevoortia were present 



The second species was much more common, lived in waters of lower 



.1 



Fig. 7. — Brevoortia gmitcri n. sp., based on the holotype, 270 mm. in total 

 length, 205 mm. in standard length (U.S.N.M. No. 129798), taken in Aransas 

 Bay, Rockport, Tex. 



salinity, was more silvery and had less green color, had a sharper 

 snout and a differently shaped head, had much smaller scales and was 

 not slimy." Gunter thought that this might be the "original B. patro- 

 nus of Goode," but it seemed to him that it was "rather close to or 

 possibly identical with the B. smithi of Hildebrand." Mr. Gunter was 

 wrong, as already stated, in believing that his specimens, with small 

 scales, might be B. patronus, but he was correct when he said they 

 were close to B. smithi, though they are not identical with it. 



It affords me pleasure to name this species for Gordon Gunter, in 

 recognition of his good work on the aquatic animals of the Gulf coast, 

 and in appreciation of the very fine series of specimens he has fur- 

 nished me for this study. A description of this species follows, wherein 

 proportions and enumerations pertaining to the type are enclosed in 

 parentheses. 



Description. — Head 31 to 35.5, usually 32 to 34 (32) percent of 



