FISHES. 207 



seas. It may be at once known by the long filiform tail, and by its beautiful silvery 

 color. In allusion to the color it is sometimes called, along the southern coast, silver- 

 eel, and still other names are given, such as skip-jack in the Indian river region, and 

 sword-fish about Pensacola. It grows occasionally to a length of four or five feet, but 

 is not often seen more than two or two and a half feet long. It is very rarely met 

 with along the European coast and apparently does not enter the Mediterranean. It 

 swims along the surface of the ocean, and, as one of the names (skip-jack) indicates, 

 is prone to leap out of the water. Several instances were related to Professor Goode 

 of this fish throwing itself from the water into row-boats, and a small one fell into a 

 boat in crossing the Arlington River where the water is nearly fresh. In some parts 

 of Florida and Jamaica it is taken in sufiicient numbers for the table, and is esteemed 

 as a very good food-fish. It is generally caught with a hoqk, and the fishing takes 

 place before day ; the " lines are pulled in as fast as they are thrown out, with the cer- 

 tainty that the cutlass has been hooked. As many as ninety boats have been counted 

 on this fishing ground at daybreak during the season," all hauling in the fish. 



The most interesting and important of the Scombroidea have now been noticed, but 

 there are many forms that have been placed with the families enumerated or in dis- 

 tinct ones near them : of such the Nematistiid^, Beamid^e, Pempheeididjs and Dee- 

 PANiD^ really appear to be closely related to one or other of the forms described. 

 Others seem to be more distant, and such are the TETEAGONUEiDiE, Equuliid^, 

 LAMPEiDii)jE, LuvAEiDiB, Menid^, GEAMsncoLEPiDiD^, KuETiDiE, Capeoid^, and 

 ZENiDJi. Only a few of these can be noticed. 



The family Teteagonueid^ has been established for a single species which is so 

 different from all others that it is not even plain to what, it is next of kin. By Dr. 

 Gtinther it has been associated with the Atherinidas, but the best ichthyologists are 

 disposed to place it near the Scombridae. The form is somewhat like that of some of 

 the Scombridfe, but the scales are peculiar, in being traversed with several keels or 

 striis; the lower jaw is deep, and both the upper and lower have uniserial compressed 

 teeth ; the dorsal is double, the spines feeble, and the rayed about as long as the 

 spinous portion ; the ventrals are slightly behind the breast. The only species, Tetra- 

 gonurus niger, is a moderately deep water inhabitant of the Mediterranean and 

 Atlantic. 



There is a fish of large size and very brilliant colors, whose home seems to be 

 the temperate high-seas of the Atlantic; it is, however, not unfrequently thrown 

 upon the English shores, and has also, but very rarely, been taken on the American. 

 The species has received the popular name of opah, and king of the herrings, the 

 scientific name Zampris guttata or hma, and is the type of family Lampeidid^. The 

 generic name, derived from the Greek lampros (radiant), indicates its brilliant colors. 

 The body is much compressed and oviform, and has very minute scales. The head is 

 comparatively small, and somewhat pointed or beaked forwards ; the mouth is small 

 and toothless ; the premaxillaries are very protractile ; there is a single long and falci- 

 form dorsal fin destitute of true spines ; the anal is likewise long, but not at all fal- 

 cate ; the ventral fins originate considerably behind the pectorals and are, in position 

 at least, sub-abdominal, being pushed backwards by the great development of the 

 scapular arch ; they are remarkable for the numerous (13) rays. 



The color has been described as " a rich brocade of silver and lilac, rosy on the 

 belly ; everywhei-e with round silvery spots ; head, opercles, and back with ultrama^ 

 i-ine tints; jaws and fins vei-milion." The flesh is reddish and somewhat resembles in 



