276 



OSMERUS. 



FoiiM of tlie body lengthened, without spots. _ Two ranges of 

 separated teeth in each palatine bone; only a few in front on the 

 Toraer. Eight rays in the gill membrane. The ventral fins opposite 

 the anterior edge of the dorsal. 



SMELT, 



SPIRLING. 



Smelt, Eperlanus Bonchldn, Willotjguby; p. 202, table N. 6, 



Eperlanus, Jonston. 



Osmeriis eperlanus, Linn^us. Cuvier. 



" " Fleming; Br. Animals, p. 181. 



" " Jenyns; Manual, p. 429. 



" " Yarrell; Br. Fishes, vol. ii, p. 129. 



Salmo eperlanus marinus, Bloch; pi. 28. Donovan; pi. 48. 



This fish should be distinguished from the Atherine, which 

 in some parts of the kingdom bears the same name, and on 

 a casual view might be mistaken for it; but, among other 

 marks, the existence of an adipose fin on the back, in place 

 of a larger second dorsal with rays, will readily distinguish 

 them. 



It has been supposed that the name ot Smelt Avas given 

 from a particular and agreeable odour that is perceptible when 

 the fish is newly taken from the water; but the true meaning 

 of the word is assigned by Jonston, and it is the same Avith 

 that which is used to signify the melting of metals (smelting) 

 froiVi i.he mine, its derivation being from the appearance ot 

 transparency of the substances of this fish, as if it had a 

 tendency to melt away. The French name, Eperlan, employed 

 by Rondeletius, to which he gave a Latin termination, and 

 from which perhaps we obtain our other English designation 



