GENUS CHLOROSCOMBRUS GIRARD 

 The Casabes 



Body oblong-ovate, compressed, not elevated; abdomen prom- 

 inent anteriorly, its curve being much greater than the curve of 

 the back; occiput and thoracic region trenchant; caudal peduncle 

 very narrow, the fin widely forked; scales small, smooth; lateral 

 line arched in front, armed, or with few small plates; head 

 nearly naked; mouth rather small, oblique, lower jaw scarcely 

 projecting; upper jaw protractile; maxillary broad, emarginate behind, 

 with a large supplemental bone; jaws, vomer and palatines with 

 feeble teeth, mostly in single series; first dorsal of feeble spines, 

 connected by membrane; second dorsal and anal long and low, 

 similar, much longer than the short abdomen; anal spines strong; 

 ventrals small; pectoral falcate; gillrakers long; no finlets. Species, 

 2 or 3, all American, and of little value as food. 



Chloroscombrus orqueta, the xurel de castilla of the Mexicans, 

 has the chord of the curved part of the lateral line considerably 

 longer than the head, and the colour is dusky. This species is 

 found from Lower California to Panama, at which latter place it 

 is rather common. It is of little value for food. 



Bumper; Casabe 



Chloroscombrus chrysuriis (Linnaeus) 



The bumper is found from Cape Cod to Brazil. It is com- 

 mon on our South Atlantic Coast and about Cuba, and specimens 



312 



