THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 271 



rakers 7+13, lanceolate, rather stout, and longest about ^ /j 

 of orbit. Scales minute. Lateral line high and concurrent with 

 dorsal profile. A series of conspicuous pores above lateral line 

 near base of dorsal. Dorsal begins about opposite first fourth of 

 pectoral, and first branched rays highest. Anal similar, origin 

 of rayed fin beginning about opposite last y^ of pectoral. Caudal 

 strongly forked, lobes slender and pointed. Pectoral long, lan- 

 ceolate. Color slaty-blue above, below silvery. Length 4^ 

 inches. Sea Isle City. 



It also occurs at Cape May, Stone Harbor, Beesley's Point and 

 Atlantic City. An excellent pan-fish of fine flavor reaching a 

 length of IQ inches. Very abundant during the late summer and 

 early fall. 



Peprilus triacanthus Baird, 9th An. Rep. Smiths. Inst., 1854, 



p. 338- . 



Poroniotus triacanthus Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 812. — 

 Bean, Bull. U. S. F. Com., VII, 1887, p. 140. 



Stromateus triacanthus Moore, Bull. U. S. F. Com., XII, 1892,, 

 p. 361.— Smith, Bull. U. S. F. Com., XII, 1892, p. 374. 



Family CENTROLOPHID^. 



The Rudder Fishes. 



Body oblong, or elongate, compressed. Mouth moderate, with 

 small teeth. Premaxillaries protractile. Bones of head some- 

 times serrulate. Skeleton moderately firm. CEsophagus with 

 tooth-like processes as in Stromateidce. Vertebrae in normal num- 

 ber, 10 + 14 or 15 = 24 or 25. Body covered with moderate 

 cycloid adherent scales. Lateral line present, straightish. Dorsal 

 fin long, 3 to 10 of anterior rays simple, more or less spine-like. 

 Anal similar, shorter. Caudal lunate. Ventral I, 5, well de- 

 veloped, thoracic. 



Fishes of open seas, inhabiting moderate depths. 



