ATHERINE. 3 



The air-bladder is not situated far forward, but is rather large, 

 and passes beyond the vent towards the tail. In collecting them 

 for observation I have found many more females than males. 

 Mr. Thompson gives the greatest length of an Irish example 

 as seven inches and three fourths, and a Cornish specimen 

 has measured but a little short of this, but a usual size is five 

 or six inches. The form of the body moderately lengthened 

 and slender; round over the back, so as to be only in a 

 moderate degree compressed on the sides; the body covered 

 with large scales; lateral line scarcely to be distinguished, but 

 passing along the middle of the characteristic silvery stripe, 

 which, in a fish of the larger dimensions given above, was 

 one fifth of an inch wide, the body being an inch in depth, 

 and this stripe runs straight from the origin of the pectoral 

 fin to the tail. There is an appearance of transparency in the 

 bodv } but this is an optical deception, and no inward part can 

 be discerned from without. The head is flat above, but com- 

 pressed at the sides; eyes large and lateral, the snout short 

 before them; upper jaw arched; under jaw, seen from below, 

 shaped like a horse shoe; angle of the mouth depressed; teeth 

 small and numerous. Vent about the middle of the body, as 

 measured from the snout to the fork of the tail. Dorsal fins 

 two, separate, the first beginning a little behind the end of the 

 pectoral, having eight rays, the first of which is at the centre 

 of gravity of the fish. Second dorsal and anal opposite each 

 other, the first with thirteen and the second with seventeen 

 rays; anterior portion of these fins elevated, and the posterior 

 margin narrow. Pectoral fin high on the side, superior rays 

 longest, fourteen in number. Ventral fins with six rays. Tail 

 divided, with eighteen rays. Colour a greenish transparent 

 grey above, sometimes tinged with pink near the silvery stripe; 

 transverse bands or lines across the scales on the back. I have 

 seen the second dorsal, anal, and caudal fins dotted over with 

 small round spots. 



