438 ORDER MALACOPTERYGII ABDOMINALES. 



Alosa, Cuv., 



Are distinguished from the herrings, properly so called, 

 by an emargination at the middle of the upper jaw. 

 For the rest, they present all the characters of the 

 pilchards and the sardines. 



Clupea alosa, L., Duhamel, Sect. III. pi. i. f. 1. (the 

 shad) which becomes much larger and thicker than 

 the herring, and attains nearly three feet in length ; 

 is distinguished by the absence of perceptible teeth, 

 and by an irregular black spot behind the gills. In 

 spring it enters the rivers, and is then excellent 

 eating. When taken in the sea, it is dry and ill 

 flavoured. 



Clupea finta, Cuv., (Clupea finta, Lacep.) ; is more 

 elongated than the alosa, and has very well marked 

 teeth in both jaws, and five or six black spots along 

 the flank. It is found even as far as the Nile. Its 

 flavour is much inferior to that of the foregoing \ 



Chatoessus, Cuv., 

 Are herrings properly so called, in which the last ray 



1 Bloch. pi. xxx. gives, under the name of Alosa, a finta, whose 

 abdomen was divested of the scales. Add CI. vernalis, Mitch, v. 

 9. CI. cestivalis, Id. v. 6. CI. menhaden, Id. v. 7. CI. matowka, 

 Id. v. S. CI. palasah. C, Russel, 198. CI. kelee, Id. 195. Clu- 

 panodon ilisha, Hamilt. Buchan. xix. 73. Clupan. champole, H., 

 Buch. xviii. 74 ; and his other species, p. 246 251. The genera 

 Pomolobus, Dorosoma, Notemigonus, of M. Rafinesque, (Poiss. 

 de I'Ohio), must approximate more or less to Alosa, and want teeth ; 

 but we are not sufficiently acquainted with them to class them de- 

 finitively. 



