204 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



rapidity, often leaping or skipping out for short distances. When 

 thus leaping the large species of the tropics are sources of danger 

 to incautious fishermen, sometimes piercing the naked abdomens 

 of savages. Most are good food-fishes, though avoided on ac- 

 count of the green color of the bones of the larger species for no 

 good reason. Two species have been recorded from our waters. 



Genus Tyi^osurus Cocco. 



The Green Gars. 



Key to the species. 



a. Dorsal rays 15. 

 aa. Dorsal rays 22 to 25. 



MARINUS 

 RAPHIDOMA 



Tylosurus marinus (Walbaum). 



Gar. Bill Fish. Sword Fish. Silvery Gar. Green Gar. Snip- 

 pick. Sea Pike. Silver Gar Fish. Harvest 

 Pike. Silver Gar. 



— -"^W 



:3 



Green Gar. Tylosurus marinus (Walbaum). 



Head 2^; depth 13^; D. 11, 12, i; A. 11, 16; scales about 

 250 in lateral series to base of caudal; about 175 scales before 

 dorsal; eye 3 in postocular region; interorbital space 2^ ; pec- 

 toral iVioJ ventral 1^/10; first branched dorsal ray ij4; first 

 branched anal ray i^ ; least depth of caudal peduncle 3j4 ; lower 

 caudal lobe i. Body slender, cylindrical. Caudal peduncle mod- 

 erately depressed, broader than deep, and flattened below. Head 

 long, flattened above and with broad, shallow median groove. 

 Jaws narrowly tapering to tips, lower longer, and upper from 

 eye 2j^ times rest length of head. Orbit irregularly rounded. 

 Maxillary well exposed, not reaching front margin of pupil. 

 Teeth sharp and mouth not quite closing. Scales thin, small. 

 Lateral line passing into a low keel on side of caudal peduncle. 



