288 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Longitudo tota quinque pollicaris et altitudo maxima panlo ante pin- 

 nam dorsalem est unins polliciscum deiuidio. 



Dorsum rectum, eouvexum, capitiparrellelum. Caput cathetoplateum, 

 cranium rectum convexiusculum ; utringue compressum subtus augusta- 

 tum carinatum adscendens a juucturis branchiarum versus os. Oculi 

 magni, ori proximi : mystaces lalissimsB osese pellucidse iuermes 3Iax- 

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

 rem adductilis. Opercula plauiuscula, latissima, splendedissima rotun- 

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

 rales latissima, versus caudam gracilescentia. Abdomen carinatum valde 

 prominens, squamis denticulato-serratum. Color argenteus splendens, 

 in dorso ccerulesceus. Linea lateralis nulla. Squamae imbricatim sitae, 

 latse, deciduse. Prima Dorsi in medio dorso parva radiis 18. Pecto- 

 rales in imo pectore radiis 17. Yentrales approximatse parvse in imo 

 ventre, initio dorsalis oppositse medio inter ventrales et aualem, radiis 

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

 decrescentibus. Cauda profunde bifurcata, lobis sequalibus acuminatis, 

 radiis contiguis, subramosis. Latitudine laterum prsesertim ab Harengo 

 B differre videtur. 



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



Clupea menhaden. Mossbanker. 



Clupea menhaden, Mitch., Lit. 8f Phil. Trans., New York, i, p. 453, pi. 5, fig. 7. 



Alosa menhaden, Storer, Report Fish. Massach., p. 117; Dekay, N. Yorh Faun., j). 259, pi. 



21, fig. GO ; Ayers, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist, iv, p. 275 ; Cuv. & Val., xx, p. 424 ; 



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

 sadina, Dekay, I. c, p. 263, pi. 40, tig. 129. Mitchill's Clupea sadina (Trans. Lit. 



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



cannot be determined at present. 

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

 Brevoortia menhaden, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Philad., 1861, 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, which 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 scapulary region. 



