ENQRAULTS .lAPONlCUS 177 



a. E. ringens Jenyns (Giinther , Cat. of Fishes , Vol. VII, 

 1868, p. 386) s. E. japonicus Schleg. s. A. japonica 

 Houttuijn. 



Diagnostic : The height of the body is one-fifth of the total 

 length (without caudal), the length of the head a little less than 

 one-third; sides and lower parts silvery , back dark-coloured; 

 D. 14 — 15, A. 19 — 22. Japan, Pacific coast of America. 



b. E. chinensis Gthr. (Chall. exped., 1880, Zoology, T.I, 

 pt. VI , p. 72) s. E. commersonianus Richards. (Ichth. 

 Chin., 1845, p. 308, not Lacep.). 



Diagnostic: The height of the body is one-fifth of the 

 total length (without caudal), the length of the head two- 

 ninths ; a well-defined silvery band runs along the side ; 

 D, 17, A. 22. China. 



Studying Engraulinae in the Leyden Museum, I found 

 a bottle from Dr. Bleeker's collection ^) (Catalogue des Col- 

 lections formees et laissees par M. P. Bleeker, 1879, p. 46, 

 n". 74) with superscription : "^Stolephorus japonicus ^ohlQ^. 2. 

 According to the asterisk , the specimens should be in 

 bad condition. Examining the bottle , I saw there were 3 

 specimens, two of them, very damaged, belonging to one 

 and the same , the third , entirely unimpaired, to quite another 

 species ^). After a careful examination the latter (without a 

 silvery band) proved to be E. japonicus Schleg., the first 

 two (with a silvery band) will probably be identical with 

 Günther's E. chinensis. 



Comparing the descriptions of E. ringens Jenyns , E. ja- 

 ponicus Schleg., A. japonica Houttuijn ''), and E. chinensis 

 Gthr. with the specimens in the Leyden Museum , I must 

 conclude that they belong to three species with the fol- 

 lowing short diacfnostics : 



1) When in 1879 Dr. Bleeker's cullections were sold by auction, the Leyden 

 Museum purchased „Collection A", containing among all other species , the types of 

 Bleeker. 



2) This specimen is probably put in the bottle, after the latter has come 

 in the Museum; the true locality, where it is found, is unknown. 



3) Houttuijn says that his Atherina japonica has a well-defined silvery band. 



Notes from tlie Leyden. JMuseuoi, Vol. Xilll. 



12 



