14^ MALACOP. ABDOM. SALMON FAMILY. 



ascending into the fresh water from August to Mar 

 for the purpose of spawning. According to Dr. 

 Parnell they ascend the Forth with that view in the 

 month of March, and shed their spawn in immense 

 quantities about two miles below Stirling Bridge, 

 when every stone, plank, and post appear to be 

 covered with their yellowish-coloured ova. Mr. 

 Yarrell is of opinion that it is confined to the east- 

 ern and western coasts of Britain, the fish some- 

 times called Smelt on the southern coast being in 

 reality the Atherine formerly described. The Thames 

 formerly afforded this fish in great abundance, and 

 its capture then gave employment to many fisher- 

 men ; but it has now become scarce. Those found 

 in the Medway are much esteemed. The food of 

 the Smelt consists of small Crustacea and testacea ; 

 in paiiicular the shrimp. It has been kept for 

 several years in fresh water, and retained all its 

 good qualities as an article of food unimpared. 



(Sp. 132.) C. Hehridicus. Hebridal Smelt. This 

 is one of the numerous additions recently made by 

 Mr. Yarrell to the known species of British fishes. 

 It was communicated to him by Mr. William Euing 

 of Glasgow, who obtained it in ] 837, from the bay 

 of Rothsay in the isle of Bute. Of the two examples 

 ^ound, one measured six inches and a half, the other 

 eight inches. Although to all appearance a true 

 Smelt, emitting the cucumber-like smell when newly 

 caught, it deviates in so-me important characters, and 

 which ought perhaps to be regarded as of generic 

 value, from that last described, particularly in the 



