THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 89 



Genus Psai^lisostomus Walbaum. 

 The Gar Pikes. 



Psallisostomus csseus (Linnsiis). 



Gar Pike. Gar Fish. Gar. 



Head 3^/13; depth about /^l; D. 8; A. 9; scales about 56 

 in lateral line to base of caudal; scales 52 between occiput and 

 dorsal; orbit 6 in postocular region ; 4 J/g over interorbital space; 

 width of head at front edge of opercle 4^^ in its own length; 

 width of snout at gape of mouth 3% in its length. Gape more 

 forward, well oxtv half of head. Front margin of orbit in last 

 third of head. Top of head well curved or elevated convexly, 

 flattened medianly. Opercle about as long as high. Scales on 

 anterior portion of side well radiated rugosely. Origin of dorsal 

 about opposite base of seventh anal ray. Length 4 feet 11 inches. 

 Near Trenton in the Delaware. Prof. E. D. Cope. 



Upon comparison with examples from the Ohio River I am 

 unable to detect any differences except those which may be 

 attributed to age. Lepidosfeus crassus Cope seems to have been 

 founded on a middle-sized individual with the radiate or rugose- 

 striate scales apparent. Larger examples show them very pro- 

 nounced, and younger ones from the ^Mississippi have the scales 

 entirely smooth, while in examples from Florida w'hich are a little 

 smaller than crassus the radiate-rugose scales are becoming 

 evident. 



The above example is the onlv one I have seen from the state. 

 In the upper Delaware tide-water small examples have been re- 

 ported, and are also occasionallv taken in seines. Dr. Abbott tells 

 me it is apparently rare out of brackish water and only 2 or 3 

 have been taken in pureh' fresh Avater since the one described 

 above. Dr. Dahlgren reports having seen a large example, nearly 

 4 feet long, several years ago in the Delaware at Trenton. 



Lepidosfeus osseus Abbott. Geol. X. J., 1868, p. 822. — Abbott, 

 Am. Xat., lY. 1870, p. 114. fig. 33. — Abbott, Rep. V. S. F. 

 Com., 1875-76, p. 827. — Abbott, Nat. Rambles, 1885, p. 479. 



Lepidosteiis crassus Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 823, based on 

 Cope. 



