76 TELEOSTEI : ISOSPONDYLI. — XIII. 



Family XXXIH. ARGENTINID^. (The Smelts.) 



The smelts may be looked upon as reduced Salmonidce, the only 

 important difference being in the form of the alimentary canal. 

 The stomach is a blind sac, the cEsophagus and the pylorus opening 

 close together, and the pyloric ccEca are very few or wanting, 

 Genera 7 or 8, species about 20, chiefly small fishes of the North- 

 ern Seas, some of them descending to considerable depths. AU are 

 silvery and none have phosphorescent spots. 



a. Mouth large ; V. before middle of D. 



b. Scales very small, some of them modified in males; teeth feeble; P. 



large, of 16 to 20 rays, adipose fin with long base. . Mallotus, 78. 



bb. Scales moderate, all alike ; teeth stronger, those on tongue enlarged ; 



P. moderate, of about 12 rays ; adipose fin short. . . Osmesus, 79. 



78. MALLOTUS Cuvier. (/iaXXmroy, villous). 



180. M. villosus (Miiller). Capelin. Ice-fish. Dusky, 

 sides grayish. Old males with scales above lateral line and on 

 side of beUy, elongate, closely imbricate, forming villous bands. 

 Head 4J; depth 6. D. 12. A. 18. Lat. 1. 150. L. 12. Arctic, 

 S. to Maine. 



79. OSMERTTS (Artedi) Linnjeus. (oo-fiijpo's, odorous.) 

 a. Vomer with 2 to 4 fang-like teeth ; lat. 1. about 68. 



181. O. mordax (Mitchill). Smelt. Frost-fish. Greenish, 

 sides with a silvery band ; back with dark points ; teeth strong, 

 gill rakers shortish, f eye. Head 4; depth 6J. D. 10. A. 15. 

 Lat. 1. 68. L. 12. Nova Scotia to Va., entering rivers, sometimes 

 land-locked. (Lat., biting.) 



Family XXXIV. SALMONID-^.i (The Salmon.) 

 Body oblong, covered with cycloid scales; head naked; mouth 

 terminal or subinferior, of varying size ; teeth various ; maxillary 

 with supplemental bone, forming side of upper jaw ; pseudobran- 

 chise present ; no barbels ; D. median ; an adipose fin ; C. forked ; 

 V. median ; lateral line present ; belly not compressed ; vertebrje 

 about 60. Stomach siphonal, with 15 to 200 pyloric coeca. Eggs 

 large ; no oviduct. Genera 8 ; species about 80 ; peculiar to the 

 northern regions, most of them in fresh waters, the larger species 

 ascending rivers to spawn. In beauty, activity, gaminess, quality 

 as food, and even in size of individuals, different members of this 

 group stand easily with the first among fishes. 



o. Jaws toothless or nearly so; scales large; A. rather elongate (10 to 12 

 rays) ; maxillary short and broad. ... ... Corggoitcis, 80. 



' For a detailed account of the fishes of this family see Jordan, Science Sketches, 

 p. 3S. 



