FAMILY CLUPID£J ALOSA . 261 



conical teeth ; the band ending in a point in front. Branchial rays seven ; the aperture widely 

 cleft. Operclc with rugose radiations on its surface ; its edge nearly vertical, with a broad 

 and slight emargination. 



The centre of the dorsal fin is midway between the tip of the snout and the fork of the 

 caudal fin ; it is quadrate, concave on its margin, highest in front, and its height equal to its 

 base ; the first four simple, the first very slender and " 3 long, thence gradually increasing 

 in length to the fourth, which is slightly longer than the two following branched rays ; the 

 rays then gradually decrease in length to the penultimate, which is shorter than the last ray. 

 Pectorals low down, pointed, falcate, with one stout simple articulated and fifteen branched 

 rays ; a long pointed accessory plate beneath. Ventrals under the dorsal, with a broad and 

 pointed accessory plate ; the membrane allows the tips of the rays to be distinct. Anal long, 

 slightly elevated in front ; its anterior portion lies in a groove formed by the scales. The 

 caudal deeply forked, with two oblong elliptical thin scales on each side, forming^pouches 

 similar to what has been noticed in the American Shad and Herring. These pouches will 

 probably be the foundation of good generic characters. 



Color. Bluish green on the back ; and when the scales are detached, a series of four or 

 five black spots, which are sometimes lengthened into short transverse bars, extending from 

 the head to the tail, and are sometimes evident before the scales are removed. Beside these, 

 there is a series of five large roundish dark-colored spots on the fore part of the body, extend- 

 ing to beneath the centre of the dorsal fin. A larger black blotch in a line with these, on the 

 upper part of the humeral bone. Summit of the head hyaline, bounded by two parallel lines. 

 Pectorals, ventral and anal whitish. Dorsal and caudal dark olive-brown. Tongue and tip 

 of the lower jaw blackish brown. Irides silvery ; pupil jet black, its upper part mottled with 

 brown. 



Length, 12' 0. Depth, 0'3. 



Fin rays, D. 18 ; P. 16 ; V. 9 ; A. 20 ; C. 20 §. 



The Autumnal or Fall Herring, or Shad Herring, is a common fish in our waters in the 

 months of September, October and November. I have seen a few as early as July in our 

 markets, which were brought from the Connecticut river, where they are called Weesick. The 

 trivial name given by Mitchill, was derived from the aboriginal name of the island Mattowaka 

 or Matowax* 



The specimen described above, is about the medium size. The largest I have heard of, 

 did not exceed two feet in length. 



* The name giver, to the island by the Delaware3, was Sewanhackee, or the Isle of Shells; in allusion to the quantities of shells 

 which furnished their wampum. 



