176 FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



the angle usually not extending as far back as eye; jaws weak, each with a band of 

 small teeth; maxillary slipping behind preorbital, premaxillaries very protractile; 

 scales rather large, with entire margins, no scales on dorsal and anal fins; dorsal 

 fins short, the first with 4 to 6 spines, the second with one spine and 6 to 11 soft 

 rays. 



The silversides of this genus found on the east coast are considered in detail 

 in an interesting paper by Kendall, in the Report of the U. S. Fish Commission 

 for 1901 (pp. 241-267, 6 plates of species). Silversides are eaten on the Middle 

 Atlantic coast under the name of "whitebait", but their direct economic value 

 is small. Owing, however, to their great abundance and wide distribution they 

 must be among the most important foods of many of the common food fishes of 

 the coast. There are numerous species, and at least two occur in North Carolina 

 waters, as follows: 



i. Anal rays i + 22 or 23; beginning of dorsal fin nearer to base of caudal than to tip of snout. 



menidia. 

 ii. Anal rays i+17 or 18; beginning of dorsal nearer to tip of snout than to base of caudal. 



beryllina. 

 {Menidia, an old Latin name for some small silvery fish.) 



152. MENIDIA MENIDIA (LinnsBUs). 

 "Sardine"; Silverside; Smelt. 



Atherina menidia Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, ed. xii, 519, 1766; Charleston, S. C. 



Chirostama menidium, Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 383;' Beaufort. 



Menidia menidia, Jenkins, 1885, 11; Beaufort Harbor. Jordan, 1886, 27; Beaufort. Jenkins, 1887, 87; Beau- 

 fort Harbor. Jordan & Evermann, 1896, 800. Kendall, Silversides of Genus Menidia of East Coast of 

 United States, 1902, 264-267, text cut; Fort Macon and Wilmington, N. C. Linton, 1905, 360; Beaufort. 



Fig. 69. Silverside. Menidia menidia. 



Diagnosis. — Depth .2 length; head contained 4.6 to 5 in length; mouth large; eye equal 

 to snout and contained 3.25 times in head; scales in lateral series 40 to 45, in transverse series 

 7 to 9; dorsal rays iv or v-hi,7 to i,9; anal rays i,21 to i,25^ Color: light olivaceous, with 

 minute brown dots on top of head, jaws, and edge of scales on back; silvery lateral band .66 

 width of scales; fins plain. 



The typical form ranges northward from Florida, beginning to intergrade in 

 North Carolina with the variety notata, which predominates further north, 

 ranging to Nova Scotia. This silverside abounds on sandy shores in salt and 

 brackish water, and exceeds a length of 6 inches. It is common on the North 



