AMMODYTID^. — XLIX. 101 



aa. Scales moderate, about 110 in lateral line. 



252. S. guachancho Cuv. & Val. P. about reaching spinous 

 D. Head 3^; depth 7. D. V-I, 9. A. I, 8. L. 24. West 

 Indies, rarely N. (The Spanish name.) 



We place next a family of uncertain relationship. 



Family XLIX. AMMODYTID^. (The Sand Lances.) 



Body elongate, compressed, with small, cycloid scales ; lateral line 

 along side of back ; mouth large, toothless, the chin projecting ; up- 

 per jaw very protractile ; giU membranes separate, free ; gill rakers 

 long and slender ; pseudobranchise large ; D. long and low, of soft 

 rays only ; A. similar, shorter ; C. forked ; no ventrals ; P. low. 

 No air-bladder. Vertebrae 63. Genera 4 ; species 8. Small fishes 

 swimming in large schools, and burying themselves, by a quick move- 

 ment, in sand. Coasts of N. regions. The relations of the family 

 are still uncertain. They may be Anacanthini, Percesoces, or pos- 

 sibly allies of the Scombroids. In many regards, especially the struc- 

 ture of the gUls, they resemble SpTiyrcena. 



a. Body with many transverse oblique folds ; a fold of skin along edge of 

 belly ; vomer unarmed Ammodytes, 116. 



116. AMMODYTES (Artedi) Linnseus. {ajiiioi, sand ; bia>, dive.) 



253. A. tobianus L. Sand Lance. Lant. Olivaceous ; a 

 steely lateral stripe; P. reaching front of D. Head 4|-; depth 10. 

 D. 60. A. 28. Lateral folds 125 to 130. L. 6. North Atlantic and 

 Pacific, S. to N. J. ; common N. (Eu.) The American form (var. 

 americanus DeKay) has dorsal beginning a trifle further back. (An 

 old name, unexplained.) 



Order XX. ACANTHOPTEBI. (The Spiny-rayed 

 Fishes.) 



This order contains the great bulk of the spiny-rayed fishes, and 

 includes a far greater variety of forms than any other of the so- 

 called orders. In all, the ventrals, if present, are thoracic, or jugular, 

 normally I, 5, the opercles and pharyngeals are well developed, the 

 gills normal, usually 4 in number, and the premaxUlary forming the 

 whole border of the mouth. Usually the anterior rays of D. and A. 

 are simple or spine-like. {aKavBa, spine ; irrepov, fin.) 



The various suborders of this group have not yet been fully de- 

 fined or generally adopted. The following ten, of varying value, 

 may be recognized for the fishes discussed in the present work : 

 Discocephali, Scomhriformes, Perciformes, Pharyngognathi, Epe- 

 lasraia, Cataphracti, Haplodoci, Xenopterygii, Scyphobranchii, and 

 Anacanthini. 



