70 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
validity where the history of development conjoins an 
obtuse-tinned form with the sharp-tinned types. An- 
other character which generally holds good, is the nar- 
row and round peduncle of the caudal tin. The sin- 
gularly characteristic bars on the sides of the peduncle 
which occur in many forms of the Scombromorph series, 
may also serve on occasion as clues to their distinction 
from the series of the Percomorph families. Thus, for 
example, one species of the genus Brama a possesses 
such bars on its tail indicating the right place of the 
genus and the family, while the other forms of the 
Bramidce are without it. 
With the exception of the Zenidce and Capridce 
and the addition of Gill’s Acronuridce , the series of 
the Mackerel families, as defined here, corresponds to 
the Scombroid <jg of Gill 6 . Gunther combined this se- 
ries with that of the Cottoid families into a group 
which he named C otto- Scombri formes, with the remark 
that the true Cottoid genera exhibit forms of transition 
to the Mackerel typed It is certainly true that this 
opinion finds support in the known changes of deve- 
lopment, in the Sword-fishes, for example, where the 
armoured head of the young specimens reminds us of 
the Trigloid type, or in the diminution of the size of 
the ventral fins which is very common among the 
Scombromorphi and gives the juvenile forms a close 
resemblance to the aforesaid type in this respect too. 
But the Anomalopterous characters we have given 
above, sharply divide the Cottoid type from the Mac- 
kerels. 
Of the Scombromorph families the Scandinavian 
Fauna possesses 5, which may be distinguished in the 
following manner: 
I: Soft rays of the ventral fins 5 at most. Inter- 
maxillaries and mandible, at least, armed with 
teeth in adult specimens, though these teeth 
may disappear in extreme old age. 
A: Scales of the body in Ganoid manner con- 
nected by processes from their basal part. 
Lateral line scarcely visible; its scales hardly 
distinguishable from the other scales of the 
body Bramidce. 
B: Scales of the body separate from each other, 
thin and cycloid, where they exist. Lateral 
line distinct. 
1 : Before or at the beginning of the anal 
fin two spinous rays, which may, however, 
become indistinct or even disappear with 
age. Longitudinal ridges of the bony 
skull high and long; occipital ridge con- 
tinued on the surface of the coalescent 
frontal hones Cai angidee. 
2: No spinous rays or only one before or at 
the beginning of the anal fin. Longi- 
o o o 
tudinal ridges of the bonv skull com- 
paratively low and short; frontal bones 
without central ridge. 
a: Upper and lower jaws about equally 
projecting Scombridce. 
b: Upper jaw prolonged projecting “like 
a sword” over the point of the lowerjaw Xiphiidce. 
II: Soft rays of the ventral fins more than 5. Jaws 
without teeth, in adult specimens Lampridce. 
Fam. BRAMIDfE. 
Form of the body high or elongated, strongly compressed. Eyes large or of average size. Of the external bones of 
the head only the preoperculum, and this only in youth , dentated at the margin. Scales large or middle-sized, 
cycloid, high on the sides of the body (especially during youth), above and below continued by processes, which in 
certain parts of the sides at least, serve to connect the rows of scales. Spinous-rayed part of the dorsal and anal 
fins little developed. Supporting rays of the caudal simple and spinous. Simple, pointed teeth , arranged in a card, 
on the intermaxillaries and lower jaw at least. Ventral fins thoracic (sometimes jugular) with one spinous ray 
and 5 soft.' 1 . Branchiostegal rays 7. Branched rays in the caudal fin 14 at least {?). 
Following Gill’s example 6 we make the genera 
Pteraclis, Pterycombus and Brama into a family 
“ Brama princeps (from Madeira), Johnson, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1863. p. 37; = (?) Br. longipinnis (see below). 
b Arrang. Fam. Fish., Smith’s Misc. Coll., No. 247. 
c “The true Cottoids gradually pass into the Scombroids proper”: Cat. Brit. Mus., Fish., vol. Ill, App., p. VI. No less clear, how- 
ever, is the systematic transition, through the Squaniipinn.es , between the families of the Scombromorph and Percomorph groups. 
d Pteraclis, however, is abnormal in this respect and has its ventral fins reduced even in the number of rays. 
e 1. c. Cf. Jordan et Gilbert, Syn. N. Am. Fish., Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 16, p. 455. 
f Fishes of Madeira, Introd., p. XII. 
g Andr. Garr. Fische der Sildsee, p. 146; Study of Fishes, p. 452; Handb. Ichthyol., p. 319. 
distinct from the family Coryphcenidce as formed 
by Lowe 7 and afterwards adopted by Gunther 6 . 
