914 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



S'llmo irnmacuUitiis {/itaiih-estni). ML'i.i... Zool. Dcin. Proilr., 



p. 270, vide Stkum, Skr. Naturli. Selsk., Bd. 2, H. 2 (17113), 



p. 12, tab. I, lig. 1. 

 .Siliis Ascanii, Helsu., MaaneUskr. Literal. Kblivn 1833, p. 239. 

 Argentina syrtensium, Bn. GooDE, Be.\n, I'roc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 



vol. I (187H), p. 2i;i; viile (!nii;, T)e>'p Sea Fish., Cliall. 



ENp..<l., p. 217. 



Oils'. In tlie preceding pages (see above, p. o9) we have em- 

 ployed the name of Blankesten, which Stkom first applied (in Sond- 

 mores Deslcrivelse) to a fisli of the genus Spams, as a synonym of 

 Fldckpagell (the Common Sea-Bream), following 0. F. MOlleb and 

 BrUnnich. But as StrOm has subsequently come to the conclusion 

 that the former name properly belongs to the species now in point, 

 it is best omitted in the said passage, especially as its application in 

 Norway seems to be vague. 



Tlu! (greater Siil-Smelt attaiii.s a length of nearly 

 halt' a metre?. The bod}- is elongated and fairly thick, 

 the greate.st deptli, whieli occurs at the beginning of 

 tlie dorsnl tin, being in adult specimens about 18 % of 

 the leiigtii, and the greatest thickness about ' ./ of the 

 greatest depth, or slightly greater tlian the po.storbital 

 length of the liead. The dorsal and ventral contours 

 form about equal curves. Tliey meet in a point at 

 the tip of the snout, and converge behind till, in front 

 of the caudal fin, the least depth of the body measures 

 idjout 6' ,. % of its length (jr ' .. of the length of tlie 

 liead reduced. In transverse section the body forms, 

 according to its degree of distension, a more or less 

 regulai- rectangle, the l>ack and the belly being broad, 

 the former more so, and tintly convex or even flat, 

 and the sides more or less comjjressed. A further 

 characteristic, which we liave already mentioned, are 

 several longitudinal, lo^v ridges. Two of these run, 

 j)arallel in front, converging on tlie tail, on each side 

 of the dorsal margin and on the uppermost part of the 

 sides, the lower starting from the upper angle of the 

 operculum; two corresponding ridges follow each .side 

 of the ventral margin and the lowest part of the sides, 

 the upj)cr starting from the pectoral tins, the lower 

 from tlie vcntrals; one ridge is formed \)\ the lateral 

 line: and the median line of the d(.irsal maigin between 

 the dorsal and adipose fins, as ^vell as of the ventral 

 margin bet^veen the ventral fins and the anal aperture, 

 rises in a similar ridge. 



The head forms a four-sided wedge, but is so 

 contracted below as strongly to remind us of that of 

 the Capelin. Its upper and lower surfaces converge for- 



wards to the sliallow, but ratlier broad tip (jf tiie snout, 

 whicli is rounded in an horizontal direction. Its sides 

 are fiat, even the upper, tiie interurbital jiart of which 

 is depressed between the somewhat tumid supraorbital 

 parts; and at the articulations of the lower jaw- a break 

 is formed when the mouth is closed, the upward .slope 

 (jf the lower jaw being soinewhnt sharper than the 

 downward slope of the snout. A thick adipose mem- 

 brane with numerous duets and pores is spread from 

 the occiput and forehead down over tiie operculum, 

 the ]ireoperculum, and the suborbital bones, and for- 

 ward on the snout, surrounding the large orbits both 

 in front and beiiind. The eves occupy about ','3 (33 

 — 30 ?&), the postorl)ital part rather more than "/^ 

 (42— 4(1 %), and the snout about 29—30 %, of the 

 length of the liead. The nostrils lie about half-way 

 between tlie ti]) iif tlie snout and tlie eves. The an- 

 terior is round; the posterior, w-hich is larger and more 

 oblong, transversely set, is entirely covered by a semi- 

 circular dermal flap from its antiM-ior margin. The 

 breadth of the snout at the nostrils is only slightlv 

 less than the interorbital width; but the breadth across 

 the rostral protuberances (articular knol)s of the raa- 

 xillaries) is onlv about ' '^ — ",',, thereof. The rostral 

 protuberances are indistinct. The preopercidum is di- 

 stinguished b}' its rectangular shape and its long arm, 

 which runs in a forward direction, coasted by the nar- 

 row intero])crcuhim. which is (if the same lengtli. The 

 operculum is trapezoidal, luit its liind margin is sinuate. 

 Its lower margin, which forms the fairly straight and 

 obliquely ascending suture with the suboperculum, is 

 almost equal in length to the diameter of the eye. The 

 suboperculum is of uniform lireadth and rounded at 

 the lower posterior angle. The mouth is most like that 

 of the Grayling, but the point of the lower jaw projects 

 a little be\ond the tip uf the snout, and is furnished 

 with a distinct, though small, symphyseal protuberance 

 above and a small chin-protuberance below. Tiie liiis 

 are not very fleshy. The curved anterior margin uf 

 the upper jaw is entirely formed, right across the mouth, 

 bv the narrow intermaxillaries, which are without na.sal 

 process, the upper jaw being thus incapable of protru- 

 sion. The maxillaries are narrow in front, so far as 

 thev are covered hv the intermaxillaries, but behind 



" Sonietinies 2 Sw. ft. (511 cin.). acorn ding to Nilsson. Stru.m's specimen was 43 cm. long: our largest specimen, wliicli has lain 

 for several years in spirits, has now shrunk tu a length of about 47 cm., but measured wlien caught 48V2 ''■"■ according to Mr. C. A. 

 Hansson; and the largest specimen Collktt had seen was 47 '/o cm. long, in eacli case to the extreme tip of the caudal fin. 



'' According to Kroyf.r, however, sometimes but slightly more than ','0. 



