class pisces. 435 



Clupea, L. (The Herrings), 



Have two well marked characters in their narrow and 

 short intermaxillaries, which form but a small part of 

 the upper jaw, the sides of which are completed 

 by the maxillaries, so that these sides alone are 

 protractile; and in the inferior edge of the body, 

 which is compressed, and in which the scales form a 

 dentation like that of a saw. The maxillaries, besides, 

 are divided into three pieces. The gills are very 

 much cleft; accordingly it is reported that these 

 fishes die immediately on being taken out of the water. 

 The arches of their gills are furnished on the side of 

 the mouth with long pectiniform dentations. The 

 stomach is an elongated sac ; the natatory bladder 

 long and pointed, and the cceca numerous. Of all 

 fishes, they have the most numerous and the finest 

 bones. 



Clupea, Cuv. (The Herrings properly so called), 



Have the maxillaries arched in front, and longitu- 

 dinally divisible into several pieces ; the aperture of 

 the mouth is moderate ; the upper lip not emargi- 

 nated. 



Clupea harengus, L., Bl. 29. 1. (the common her- 

 ring), a fish universally known ; teeth visible in both 

 jaws ; the keel of the belly but little marked, the 

 suboperculum rounded ; certain veins on the subor- 

 bital, the preoperculum, and the top of the opercu- 

 lum. Its ventrals begin under the middle of its dor- 



Ff2 



