288 KEPORT OF COMMISSIONEE OF FISH AND FISHEEIES. 



Longitudo tota quinque pollicaris et altitudo maxima paulo ante pin- 

 nam dorsalem est uuins iiolliciscum deiuidio. 



Dorsum rectum, couvexum, capitipairellelum. Cajyut catlietoplateum, 

 cranium rectum convexiusculum ; utriugue compressum subtus augusta- 

 tum carinatum adscendens a juncturis brancUiarum versus os. Oculi 

 magui, ori proximi : mystaces lallssimai oseiB pellucidse iuermes 31ax- 

 ilia inferior augusta, acuminata, oblique sursum spectaus, ad superio- 

 rem adductilis. Opercula plauiuscula, latissima, splendedissima rotun- 

 datetruncata. Latera plauiuscula, obliquata, mox post pinnas pecto- 

 rales latissima, versus caudam gracilesceutia. A&^ome?i carinatum valde 

 prominens, squamis denticulato-serratum. Color argenteus splendens, 

 in dorso ccerulescens. Linea lateralis nulla. ISqiiamce imbricatim sitie, 

 latffi, decidute. Prima Dorsi in medio dorso parva radiis 18. Pecto- 

 ralcs in imo pectore ladiis 17. Yentrales approximatse parvjie in imo 

 ventre, initio dcrsalis oppositss medio inter ventrales et analem, radiis 

 sex. Analis burailis, medio inter ventrales et caudam, radiis 18, sensim 

 decrescentibus. Cauda i)rotiinde bifurcata, lobis sequalibus acumiuatis, 

 radiis contiguis, subramosis. Latitudine laterum priesertim ab Harengo 

 B difierre videtur. 



[From Giinther's " Catalogue of the Fishes in the British Museum," vol. vii, p. 436.] 



Clupea menhaden. Mossbanker. 



Cbipea menhaden, Mitch., Lit. 8f Pldl. Trans., Neiv York, i, p. 453, pi. 5, fig. 7. 



Alosa menhaden, Storer, Eeport Fish. Massach., p. 117; Dekay, N. York Faun., p. 259, pi. 



21, fig. CO ; Avers, Bost. Journ. Xat. Hist., iv, p. 275 ; Cuv. & Val., xx, p. 424 ; 



Storer, Mem. Am. Ac, vr, p. 337, pi. 26, fig. 3. 

 sadina, Dekay, /. c, p. 263, pi. 40, fig. 129. Mitchill's Chipea sadina (Traus. Lit. 



«& Phil. tSoc. New York, i, p. 457) was evidently a different fish, which, however 



cannot be determined at present. 

 Clupea carolinensis, Groxov, Syst., ed. Gray, p. 140. 

 Br evoortia menhaden, CfiiA., Proc. Ac. Kat. Sc. I'hilad., J861, p. 37. (Name only.) 



D 19; A. 19-20; V. 7. 



Scales irregularly arranged ; their free portion is very narrow and 

 deep, with the margin ciliated. TJie height of the body is rather less than 

 the length of the head, ivhich is one-third of the total {without caudal). 

 Lower jaw shutting within the upper ; maxillary reaching to the verti- 

 cal from the hind margin of the orbit. No teeth on the palate or tongue. 

 Operculum finely striated ; suboperculura large, tapering above. Gill- 

 rakers very fine and exceedingly long ; the horizontal branch of the 

 outer branchial arch consists of two portions joined at an obtuse angle. 

 Ventral fins opposite to the anterior third of the dorsal, the origin of 

 which is somewhat nearer to the caudal than to the end of the snout. 

 Basil half of the caudal fin covered with small scales. There are from 

 twelve to thirteen abdominal scutes behind the base of the ventral fins. 

 A blackish blotch in the scapiiiary region. 



