FISHES — CLUPEIDAE — ENGRAULIS DELIC ATISSIMUS. 



335 



2. ENGRAULIS NANUS, Grd. 



Spec. Char. — Body short and slender, tapering posteriorly, and vtry much compressed. Head constituting the third of the 

 length, the caudal fin excluded. Snout sub-conical. Posterior extremity of maxillar bone extending to the interopercle. Eye 

 large and sub-circular ; its diameter entering four times and a half in the length of the side of the head, exactly once in 

 advance of its anterior rim. Anterior margin of dorsal fin equidistant between the tip of the snout and the fork of the caudal 

 fin. Base of anal fin entering six times and a half in the total length. Vent situated immediately in advance of the anterior 

 margin of the anal fin and behind the base of the dorsal. Ventrals rather small, broad when expanded, sub-convex ; their tips 

 not quite reaching the vent. Pectorals slender, rather elongated, posteriorly sub-truncated, not extending to the origin of the 

 ventrals. Reddish brown above, silvery white beneath. 



This species is more closely allied to E. mordax than to any other species so far known on the 

 Pacific range of North America, although less elongated, in which respect it resembles E. 

 delicatissimus, although the profile of the body reminds us of that of the preceding species. 

 The greatest depth entering about five times and a half in the total length. The dorsal is 

 higher than long, superiorly linear and diminished less rapidly in height than in the preceding 

 and following species. The anterior half of the anal is triangular, and rather low posteriorly 

 to the middle of its length. 



D 12 ; A 1, 16 + 1 ; C 4, 1, 9, 8, 1, 5 ; V 7 ; P 10. 



The scales are not preserved upon the specimen which we have examined. 



The upper surface of the head and the dorsal region are reddish brown ; the sides of the 

 head, flanks, and belly exhibiting a silvery tint. The dorsal and caudal are greyish olive ; the 

 other fins being yellowish, or light straw color. 



List of specimens. - 



3. ENGEAULIS DELICATISSIMUS, G r d 



Spec Char. — Body very much compressed, sub-fusiform in profile. Head contained nearly five times and a half in the tota 

 length. Posterior extremity of maxillar bone extending to the gill apertures. Eye large and circular ; its diameter entering 

 three times in the length of the side of the head. Anterior margin of dorsal fin nearer the insertion of the caudal than the tip 

 of the snout Base of anal fin entering about five times in the total length. Vent situated opposite the anterior margin of the 

 dorsal fin. Ventrals very small ; their tips reachinif the vent. Pectorals slender and lanceolated, not extending to the origin of 

 the ventrals. Yellowish, with a silvery streak along the middle of the flanks. 



Stn. — Engraulis delicatissimus, Grd. in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VII, 1854, 154. 



The specimens of this species now before us may still be immature, and the very natural 

 question arises, whether it is not the young of the preceding one. On close comparison, 

 however, the characters assigned to it will strike every one as most conspicuous. Its general 

 appearance or fascies is widely difi'erent from that of either E. encrasicholus or E. mordax; the 

 body being more compressed, less tapering, the head much shorter and the snout less acute- 

 The entire length of the largest specimen before us is about three inches, the head being 

 contained in it nearly five times and a half. The greatest depth of body is somewhat less than 

 the length of head, the upper surface of which is convex and but slightly declivous. The eye 



