428 MITCHILL OK THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 



anal and second dorsal are entire, and without finlets. The general 

 form and aspect are those of the scomber plumbeus. Yet the lower 

 jaw is shorter than the upper, and shuts within it. Both jaws are fur- 

 nished with sharp but minute teeth. Through the middle of the 

 tongue runs a longitudinal toothed stripe. 



Eves moderate and yellowish. Skin smooth and scaleless. Lateral 

 line plain to be seen, but not very evident to the touch, until it ap- 

 proaches the tail. After bending upward at the thorax, it runs almost 

 straight to the tail, where it makes a slightly projecting lamina. Ven- 

 tral fins large. Their rays, especially the inner ones, much branched. 

 Their upper sides black ; the lower white, with a shade of yellow. 



Rays, Br. 6. P. 22. V. 5. D. 7—37. A. 22. C. 23. 



These marks are most evident in the younger fish. When they are 

 older, they are not 90 distinct. In the full-grown individual, the brown 

 bands of the sides, and the white tips of the fins, are more faint ; but 

 they are highly beautiful in a small fish of the species, swimming in his 

 element. 



In some there is a yellowish stripe or riband running straight from 

 the upper part of the gill-opening backward. The lateral line, in the 

 old fish, is sensibly raised toward the tail. In these the yellowish colour 

 is less distinct in the fins; and the crescent over the head is more faint. 

 There is often an appearance of a large membrane behind the front 

 feeth, in the upper jaw. 



8. Bonelta. (Scomber sarda.) With a patch of minute scales reach- 

 ing from the back of the neck to the thorax behind the pectoral fin ; a 

 leaden complexion ; cloudy streaks extending obliquely toward the 

 back ; and dusky zones descending directly toward the belly. 



Length of the specimen before me twelve inches ; depth two and 

 three quarters ; girth almost six. The figure of the fish being cylin- 

 drically round, like many other sorts of mackerel, but tapering away 

 toward the head and tail 



