Percesoces and Rhegnopteri 435 
side Labidesthes sicculus, which swarms in clear streams from 
Lake Ontario to Texas. This species, three to four inches 
long, has the snout produced and a very bright silvery stripe 
along the side. Large and small species of silversides occur 
SES 
SSS 
SSS 
SS 
Fia. 342.—Blue Smelt or Pez del Rey, Atherinopsis californiensis Girard. 
San Diego. : 
in the sea along the California coast, where they are known 
familiarly as “‘blue smelt” or “ Peixe Re.’’ The most impor- 
tant of these and the largest member of the family, reaching 
a length of eighteen inches, is Atherinopsis californiensis, an 
important food-fish throughout California, everywhere wrongly 
known as smelt. Atherinops affints is much like it, but has 
‘Fre. 848.—Flower of the surf. Iso flos-marts, Jordan & Starks. Enoshima, 
Y-shaped teeth. Iso flos-maris, called Nami-no-hana, or 
flower of the surf, is a shining little fish with belly sharp like 
that of a herring. It lives in the surf on the coast of Japan. 
Melanotenia nigrans of Australia (family Melanotentide) has 
the lateral band jet-black, as has also Melaniris balsanus of the 
rivers of southern Mexico. Atherinosoma vorax of Australia has 
strong teeth like those of a barracuda. 
Fossil species of Atherina occur in the Italian Eocene, the 
best known being Atherina macrocephala. Another species, 
Rhamphognathus paralepoides, allied to Menzdia, occurs in the 
Eocene of Monte Bolca. 
