PISCES. 225 
vascular, and appears to serve asa respiratory organ in itself, and also to 
intercept and retain water for a considerable time, sufficient to keep the 
gills moist during the terrestrial journeys of the fish. An Indian species, 
Anabas scandens, or climbing perch (pl. 84, fig. 13), can spend some 
considerable time out of the water in search of food. It is even said to 
climb inclined trees hanging over the water, but this has been doubted. 
Several genera of this curious family are known; all, however, Asiatic or 
African. Pl. 85, fig. 6, represents Ophiocephalus striatus, an Indian form. 
Mueitipa. These have a nearly cylindrical body, with two distinct 
dorsal fins, the first with four spinous rays. Ventrals rather behind the 
pectorals ; gills, six-rayed. Head depressed, covered with large scales or 
polygonal plates. Teeth very fine. The most conspicuous genus is 
Mugil, several species of which occur in the United States. Mugil albula 
or the common mullet, is caught in great abundance along the whole 
southern Atlantic coast of the United States; where, indeed, it forms a 
much esteemed article of food, although rather too fat and rich. The 
roe is considered to be an especial delicacy. These fish are caught in 
seines throughout the greater part of the year. The genus Atherina is 
composed of small fish, with very protractile mouth, elongated body, two 
dorsals far apart, the anterior spinous. A silvery band on the side, ventrals 
behind the pectorals. First branchial arch with bony pectinations. This 
genus is represented in North America by several species, mostly marine. 
The passage to the true Scombride, or mackerel family, is made by the 
Noracantawa&. The body is long, and supplied with smali soft scales ; 
snout obtuse, projecting beyond the mouth, which is furnished with fine 
close teeth. No true dorsal fin, but a series of free spines on the back, 
unconnected by a membrane. Free spines before the anal. Notacanthus 
nasus is found in the Greenland seas. 
Scomsrip&. This family, in the economical value of its component species, 
yields to no others, the Gadide and Clupeide not excepted. It embraces 
the various mackerels, tunnies, dories, &c., together with many others, of 
less general distribution, but of great local abundance and excellence. The 
fishes of this family have small scales, so minute, indeed, as to cause the 
skin to appear smooth ; the ventrals are without scales, the opercles without 
spines or denticulations, the caudal generally large and powerful, and the 
intestines mostly with numerous ceca. 
At the head of the family stands the genus Scomber, or true mackerel, 
characterized by the fusiform elongated body, two small cutaneous crests 
on the sides of the tail; some of the posterior rays of the anal and second 
dorsal fins free, forming finlets; and one row of small conical teeth in the 
jaw. Scomber vernalis, or the common mackerel, is very abundant along 
the more northern coast of the United States. It is not usually caught in 
quantity before the beginning or middle of June, although obtained in 
greater or less number along the coast of Massachusetts throughout the 
year. This fish is exceedingly voracious, but capricious as voracious, 
sometimes biting with the greatest readiness, and at others entirely refusing 
the bait. The number and occurrence of mackerel in particular localities 
429 
