198 Storefs Synopsis of the Fishes of North America. 



D. 11. P. 14 or 16. V. 0. A. 15. C. 19. Length, 10 inches. 



Maine, Massachusetts, Lesueur, Stoker. New York, Mitchili., Dekay. "From 



the waters of Hudson River to the coast of Labrador," Dekay. 



Salmo eperlanus, v hit.!., Trans. Lit and rhil Soc, of N V . r. p 453. 



Osmerus viridescens, Lesueur, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc., i p. 230. 



h., Fauna Boreal. Americ, hi. p. 

 Osmerus epe Ei's Report, p 103. 



Osmerus viridescens, American Sim It. I, suede, Dekay's Report, p. 243. pi. 39, fig. 121 



■Ud. U- 3<5"' l%U°i 

 As Cuvier, in his " Regne Animal," did not acknowledge our fish to be distinct from 



the Osmerus eperlanus, I arranged it as that species in my "Report upon the Fishes of 

 Massachusetts." Dr. T)ekay, in his "Report on the Fishes of Xew York," considers it 

 as a distinct species, without stating;, however, that he had ever seen the European Smelt, 

 or giving- any reason for doubling the opinion of Cuvier. To determine this matter definite- 

 ly, I wrote to Mr. Yarrell upon the subject, who kindly sent me several specimens of the Os- 

 merus eperlanus. Upon examination, they differ from our species, which, of course, will 

 hear Lesucur's name of viridescens. With specimens of both the foreign and our fish, 

 of the same size, before me, the difference was quite perceptible. Mr. Yarrell wriies me as 

 ,vs respecting the two species. " Our fish is considerably lighter in color, particularly 

 on the back and on the dorsal and caudal fins. The double series of transverse lines on the 

 sides in our fish are wider apart, and the lozenge-shaped spaces are in every sense larger. 

 Our fish is deeper for the same length than yours ; the body thicker, but the head, particu- 

 larly the parts about the jaws, is narrower. Our fish has the gape opening more freely 

 vertically. The eye in our fish is smaller, the preopercle deeper, and its posterior edge 

 more truly forming a vertical line." 



GENUS III. SCOPELUS, Cuv. 



Body long, slender ; the principal dorsal fin over the interval between the 

 ventral and anal fins ; a second dorsal fin so small as to be scarcely percepti- 

 ble. The head short ; the mouth and gill-aperture large ; small teeth on both 

 jaws ; palate and tongue smooth. 



1. Scopelus Humboldtii, Cuv;* 



■i ; . - 



Back greenish ; sides, including gill-covers, silvery. A row of circular, brilliant metallic- 



colored'sppts runs along the belly , from before the pectorals to the anus; just above, paral- 

 lel to them, extending- to the ^entral, a second row, commencing on the os hyoides. Behind 

 these, a single row of smaller (dots is continued to the base of the tail. An insulated spot be- 

 ii the anus and lateral line. Five oblong spotsof a similar appearance upon the preo- 

 perculum. A slight ridge on the 'dors,um, back of dorsal fin. (adipose .'.). Body much com- 

 ssed. Literal line almost irnperceptible^riearly straight. Mouth widely cleft. Eyes large. 



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