THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 221 



tractile, its border formed by premaxillaries behind which are 

 broad maxillaries. Large sharp teeth of unequal size on both 

 jaws and palatines. No teeth on vomer, usually a very strong- 

 sharp canine near tip of lower jaw. Opercular bones without 

 spines or serratures. Gill-openings wide, gill-membranes not 

 united, free from isthmus. Gills 4, a slit behind fourth. Gill- 

 rakers very short or obsolete. Pseudobranchise well developed.. 

 Branchiostegals 7. First superior pharyngeal not present, second, 

 third and fourth separate, with teeth. Lower pharyngeals sepa- 

 rate. Air-vessel large, bifurcate anteriorly. Many pyloric coeca. 

 Vertebrae 24. Body covered with small cycloid scales. Head 

 scaly above and on sides. Lateral line well developed, straight- 

 First dorsal, over ventrals, of V rather stout spines. Second 

 dorsal remote from first dorsal, similar to anal and opposite to it. 

 Caudal forked. Pectorals short, placed in or below line of axis 

 of body. Ventrals I, 5, abdominal, in advance of middle of body. 

 Large carnivorous pike-like fishes, active, voracious, in warm- 

 seas, and many highly valued as food. Two species occasionally 

 on our shores. 



Genus Sphyr^na Bloch and Schneider. 



The Barracudas. 



Key to the species. 



a. Scales large, about 84 in lateral line. barracuda. 



aa. Scales small, 115 to 130. borealiS" 



Sphyraena barracuda (Walbaum). 



Head 2^ ; depth yYs ; D. V — II, 7 ; A. 11, 7 ; scales about 84 in 

 lateral line to base of caudal, 5 more on latter ; 6 scales obliquely 

 back from origin of dorsal to lateral line; 12 scales obliquely up 

 from root of ventral to lateral line; third dorsal spine 3^ in 

 head ; first dorsal ray ^Vs ; first anal ray i ^4 ; lower caudal lobe 

 about 2; pectoral 3^ ; ventral 4; least depth of caudal peduncle 

 6^. Body rather robust, greatest depth at origin of ventral. 

 Head large. Snout long, tapering from rather deep base. Eye 

 circular, its front margin about center in length of head. Maxil- 



