FAMILY CLUPIDZ — ALOSA. 255 
degree semi-transparent. He may possibly be a variety of one of the preceding species ; but 
I have thought it proper to mention him by himself.” 
(EXTRA-LIMITAL.) 
C. harengus? (Ricwarnson, F. B. A. Vol. 3, p. 229.) Labials minutely toothed, with minute teeth 
on the vomer. Back green and gold. Length 15 inches. Arctic Seas. 
GENUS ALOSA. Cuvier. 
Characters of the preceding, but the tongue and roof of the mouth smooth, and destitute of 
teeth. Upper jaw with a deep notch in the centre. 
“THE AMERICAN SHAD. 
ALOSA PRESTABILIS, 
PLATE XV. FIG. 41. 
Clupea alosa, Shad. Scucerrr, Beobachtungen, Vol. 8, p. 180. 
Cc. id. Shad. Be.xnap, Hist. N. Y. Vol. 3, p. 130. 
Cc. id. Mircuitt, Report in part, &c. p. 22 
The Shad, Clupea alosa, Mircuitt, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. Vol. 1, p. 449. 
The Sprat Herring, C. indigena. Ip, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. Vol. 1, p. 454. (Young?) 
Alosa vulgaris, The Common Shad. Storer, Ichthyology of Massachusetts, p. 116. 
Characteristics. The largest American species of the genus. With one or more dark spots 
on the sides. Caudal pouches. Length one to two feet. 
Description. Body oblong, compressed ; its thickness being nearly one-half of its depth ; 
the back rounded. Scales large, caducous, transparent, rhomboidal on the sides, rounded on 
the abdomen. No lateral line obvious. Head small, smooth, and its length, compared to the 
total length, as one to five. Lower jaw closing into the upper, and when dropped, apparently 
longer. The labials large, narrowed above, and, under the lens, faintly denticulate on their 
lower edges. The upper jaw smooth, with a central notch. 'Tongue distinct, smooth and 
pointed. Eyes moderate ; two diameters distant from the extremity of the snout, and a sin- 
gle diameter apart. Nostrils nearly equidistant from the central notch, and the middle of the 
orbit. A triangular transparent space anterior to the eyes. Belly carinate, sharply serrated 
throughout; the serratures strongest between the ventrals and anal. 
The dorsal fin quadrangular, with a base two inches and a quarter long ; the first ray pro- 
jects slightly beyond the skin, the second slightly longer, the third twice the length of the 
preceding, the fourth still longer, and the fifth, which is two inches long, exceeds al! the 
others in length. All these rays are strong, simple and subspinous; the remaining rays 
branched ; the last ray nearly horizontal, and at the same distance from the end of the tail, 
that the first ray is from the point of the nose: the fin itself is emarginate, the last ray being 
