and its Tributaries. 3U7 



Alosa. Cuv. 



A. chrysochloris. Raf. The Gold-Shad. Gold-Herring. 



Skip-Jack. 



Pomolohus chrysochloris. Rafinesque. Ichthyologia Ohioensis, p. 39. 



Plate XV. Fig. 3. 



Head triangular, laterally compressed nearly one fifth the 

 entire length of the fish ; lower jaw obtuse at its end, pro- 

 jecting ; upper jaw the shorter, emarginate and slightly retuse, 

 so that the mouth apparently opens above and behind its usual 

 place in other fishes ; maxilla loosely attached at their lower 

 extremities, which permits them to turn upon the closer attach- 

 ment at their upper extremities, when the mouth is extended ; 

 both jaws armed with minute teeth, which are larger in the 

 upper jaw, but hardly evident to the eye without the aid of a 

 glass ; operculum three-parted, scaless ; iris golden. The 

 lateral line is nearly obsolete. 



Body sub-cylindric, compressed on the sides ; abdomen 

 slightly carinate and serrate ; back rounded ; base of the anal 

 fin sub-carinate. 



Dorsal fin trapezoidal, elevated anteriorly, acute at its angles. 



Caudal fin acutely and deeply bilobed, the base of the rays 

 covered with scales. 



Anal fin long, narrow and diaphanous. 



Ventral fin also diaphanous, small and delicate, situated 

 beneath the posterior half of the dorsal. 



Pectoral small, short, clear and falcate. 



Length from 12 to 18 inches. 



Color. The top of the head and back bluish purple, irides- 

 cent, the gill-covers and sides of the jaws golden and purple, 

 sides of the body and the abdomen pure white. 



Hab. Ohio river. 



D. 18 ; C. 34 ; A. 18 ; V. 9 ; P. 16 rays. 



Observations, Rafinesque instituted a genus which he 

 called Pomolobus, to receive this species. The generic charac- 

 ters do not, however, appear sufficiently obvious to be acknowl- 



