HEBR1DAL SMELT. 



133 



ABDOMINAL 



MALACOPTERYGJI. 



SALMON1DM. 



THE HEBRIDAL SMELT. 



Osmerus Hebridicus, Hebridal Smelt, YARRELL, Supplement to Brit. Fishes. 



I AM indebted to Mr. William Euing of Glasgow for the 

 opportunity of making known a new species of Smelt which 

 that gentleman did me the kindness to send to me in the 

 month of November 1837. This fish is at once clearly dis- 

 tinguishable from our long-known and highly-esteemed fa- 

 vourite, the common Smelt, and is the more interesting from 

 the circumstance of its being at least, as far as I am aware 

 entirely new to Ichthyology. Mr. Euing passed part of the 

 summer of 1837 near Rotlisay in the Isle of Bute ; and the 

 Smelt in question was brought to him by a fisherman, who 

 stated that he caught it on a hand-line in the bay of Roth- 

 say, about two hundred yards from the shore, in twelve 

 fathom water ; that it was, though well known, but rarely 

 seen. This specimen measured six inches and a half; but 

 another example of the same sort, measuring eight inches in 

 length, that was taken near the same place in June 1836, was 

 full of roe, and when first caught the cucumber-like smell, so 

 peculiar to the Smelt, was in this species also very apparent. 



