SooMBEBESociDa:. FISHES. ScoPELiDai. 
to tlie Mullets. 'I'liey have two tlorsiils, though they 
are not always distinct. 'I'here are six branchial 
rays. Five genera are known, and about forty-five 
species. 'I'hey are small, carnivorous Fishes, usually 
swimming- in shoals near the shore. 'I’he North 
American species are all small. 
SILVEKSIDES [Ghirostoma notata {Mitch.), Gill). 
— Ranges from Maine to Florida. It is called Friae 
in New England. DeKay records it as Atherina notata. 
Storer says it accompanies the Smelt into the Charles 
River, at Boston, in large numbers, in the spring 
and autumn. The Slender Silversides (C. menidia 
(Linn.), Gill) is found from Ca[)e Hatteras to Flor- 
ida. Mitchill records it as Green Strired Silver- 
sides (A. virescens). Atherina Carolina, Val., has 
the same range. 
Family — BELONIDA2. , 
This family is represented here by only one species, 
which was formerly embraced in the Esocidm. 
SILVER GAR {Belone longirostris {Mitch.), Gill). 
— ^Ranges from Cape Cod to Florida. According- to 
DeKay it is prized by epicures. He records it as 
Banded Gar-fish, and Schcepff as Sea-snipe. It is 
commonly known as Bill-fish. Storer calls it Gar- 
fish (B. truncata), from a specimen obtained at 
Holmes’ Hole. 
Family— SCO.MBERBSOCID.^. 
From Scomber, a Mackerel, and Esox, a Pike. The 
scales in this family are cycloid in shape. A lateral 
line is developed along each side of the belly. 'I'he 
dorsal fin is single, and far back ; the anal fin is op- 
posite the latter; the lower lobe of the caudal is 
the longest ; the pectorals have branched rays ; 
the ventrals are abdominal 'I’he air-bladder is gen- 
erally present, but has no communication with the 
intestinal canal. 
FLYING-FISH [Exocce.tus exiliens, Gmel.) — Ranges 
from Cape Cod to Florida. 'I'he New York Flying- 
fish (B. noveboracensis, Mitch.), has a similar range. 
'I’he Single-bearded Flying-fish (Cypselurus com- 
atus (.Mitch.), Weinland) and 'I’he Double-bearded 
Flying-fish (C. furcatus (Mitch.), Weinland) are re- 
corded as doubtful both as to genus and species. 
'I'hey are also found from Cape Cod to Florida. Other 
species of this family are : Bxocoetus melanurus, Val.; 
Halocypselus evolans (liinn.), Gill ; Euieptorhani- 
phus longirostris (Cuv. and Val.), Gill ; Hemirham- 
phus unlfasciatus, Ranzani ; with the same range of 
habitat. 
SKIPPER BILL-FISH {Scomberesox scutellatm, Le- 
seur). — ^Ranges from Nova Scotia to Florida. Large 
quantities of this Fish are thrown ashore at Prov- 
incetown. Mass. By some it is regarded as good 
eating. Rondelet figures a form which he names Be- 
lone, or Eaphis; in Latin, Acus. Another resem- 
bling the latter he names Sauros, and Equille. 'I’he 
Greek name is yet used in the form Saury. 
Family— CYPRINODON'I’ID.E. 
'I’he Gyprinodonts have as family chara.cters, head 
and body scaly; teeth well developed on the jaws and 
ccxlv 
on the plnu-yngeals ; the dorsal fin far back ; the cau- 
dal fin generally rounded ; there is no adipose fin ; 
the anal fin of the male is often modified into an in- 
tromittent organ. The species ai-e mostly viviparous. 
'They are small, iidiabiting brackish or fresh-waters 
In both continents, and most abundant In warm re- 
gions. 'I’here are twenty-five genera, and about one 
hundred and twenty species. Though we have nu- 
merous species they are not well known. 'I’he species 
Girardus forinosus is the smallest known vertebrate. 
KILLI-FISH {F andul us pisculentus [Mitch.), Val.) 
Called, also, Mummichog. Ranges from Maine to 
Florida. It is named the Ornamented Minnow, and 
figured by Storer; and White-bei.lied Killi-fish by 
Mitchill. DeKay calls it Banded Kili.i-fish. It is 
the most common .Minnow around Boston, where it 
is known as Cobler, and is used largely for bait. 
THE BANDED MINNOW [F. nigrofasciatus [Le- 
seur), Val.)— la figured by Storer. It is found in 
Fresh Pond, Cambridge, Mass. Its range is from 
Cape Cod to Florida. 
THE BARRED MINNOW (F. multifasciatus {Le- 
seur), Val.) — Ranges from Cape Cod to Florida. 
Storer figures this Fish, and states that it is found in 
Concord and in Lowell, Mass., probalily in the rivers 
communicating with the sea,. 'I’he Hydrargyra is 
represented by two species, found from Cape Cod to 
Hatteras. Storer records and figures the Basse-fry 
(H. flavula). Mitchill described the same as New 
York Gudgeon (Esox flavulus). It is called by the 
boys Yellow-tail, and is common around Boston in 
brackish water. Cyprinodon has two species, record- 
ed as C. variegatus and C. parvus; and Micristius is 
represented by three species. 
Family— S'l’OMIA'i’ID AD. 
'I’wo genera, with one species each, are embraced 
in this family. Malacosteus niger, Ayres, is a pela- 
gic form; .Stomias ferox, Reinhardt, is known in 
Greenland waters. 
Family— SCO PELIDAi. 
Scopelus is the typical genus of this family. 'I'he 
members are I'elated to the Salmonidce. Some forms 
have scales, whicli are cycloid ; others have none. 
'I’he lateral line runs nearly parallel with the back. 
'I’eeth are on both jaws and palate. 'I'he branchial 
apertures are very wide. 'I’lie dorsal fin is short, or 
of moderate length, and in the middle of the length 
of the body, or nearly so ; the adipose fin is devel- 
oped; the a,nal is short and posterior; the caudal is 
large and distinct ; the pectorals have branched rays ; 
the ventral fins are abdominal, but rather far forward 
as such. 'I’he intestinal canal is very short, and the 
air-bladder is absent. 'I’he eggs are contained in 
sacs of the ovarium, and are excluded by oviducts. 
Scopelus glacialis. Eeinhardt. — Habitat. Green- 
land. Is recorded by Gill as one of the Fishes of the 
Bast Coast of North America. Storer figures and 
describes the Argentine (Scopelus liumboldti (?) ), 
which he regards as synonymous with Argentina 
sjihyrena of Pennant. He says that only one living 
specimen had then been found in the waters of Mas- 
