434 CITTPBED^. 



two species, they were not properly defined until Trosohel pointed 

 out the difference of the shape and structure of the gill-rakers. The 

 two species being in every other respect so extremely similar, the 

 apparently greater number of spots in A. Jinta is the ouly guide by 

 which we can determine whether the description of an author refers 

 to this or to the other species. However, as these spots generally 

 disappear in preserved examples, and, on the other hand, some 

 authors evidently mention their presence only because their pre- 

 decessors mentioned them, this character cannot be reHed upon in 

 determining the synonyms. Besides, many authors considered the 

 two fishes to be identical. Thus, although I have endeavoiu'ed to 

 arrange the synonymy for each species, some of the references may 

 be erroneously placed, which, however, is of but slight importance. 



As we now know that there are two species of Shad, which have 

 been named alosa and finta, it is a question whether these names 

 have been applied according to the rules of nomenclature. 



Artedi, who has given the first scientific description, had evidently 

 the species with thick gill-rakers, as he says " apophyses in parte 

 concava osseoe, albae et satis robustce,^' Linne, who has done little 

 more in ichthyology than giving binominal terms to Artedi's species, 

 named this fish Clupea alosa. Both authors confounded the two 

 species in their synonymy ; but as zoologists regard the specimen 

 actually examined by an author as the type of the species established 

 by him, the specific name alosa ought to be retained for the species 

 with thick giU-rakers. 



The second name, Jinta, introduced by Cuvier, refers to the species 

 known in some provinces of France by the vernacular name " La 

 Feinte," which, again, is the fish with thick gill-rakers. 



Consequently Jinta and alosa are synonymous, and the species 

 with thin gill- rakers has no specific name (if the genus Alosa is not 

 adopted). 



Troschel followed Cuvier's nomenclature ; and I also think that in 

 this instance the rules of nomenclature should not bo too jstrictly 

 adhered to. The name Alosa is evidently derived from the German 

 Alse (English Allis), which applies principally to the common spe- 

 cies, with thin gill-rakers, the one more particularly esteemed as 

 food ; and for this reason it would be very inconvenient to transfer it 

 to the "Feinte.'* 



B. 8. D. 19-21. A. 21-24. V. 9. L. lat. 70. 



The height of the body is more than the length of the head, which 

 is one-fourth or two-ninths of the total (without caudal). Lower 

 jaw but slightly prominent ; maxillary extending to, or nearly to, the 

 vertical from the hind naargin of the orbit. No teeth on the palate 

 or the tongue. Gill-rakers very Jine and long, from sixty to eighty 

 on the horizontal part of the outer branchial arch. Ventral fins in- 

 serted behind the origin of the dorsal, which is nearer to the end of 

 the snout than to the root of the caudal. Basal half of the caudal 

 fin covered with small scales. There are from fifteen to sixteen 

 abdominal scutes behind the base of the ventral fins. Operculum 



