312 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



are the most prominent. In what specific characters the 

 S. umbla differs from the Welsh Charr of Yarrell I am not 

 at present prepared to state. Mr Jenyns appears to have 

 placed reliance on the position of the dorsal fin as a charac- 

 ter in the Welsh Charr. He states that it is situated ex- 

 actly in the middle of the entire length ; but, judging from 

 Mr YarrelPs figure of the fish, the dorsal fin is placed half- 

 way between the tip of the upper jaw and the base of the 

 middle caudal ray, like that observed in the Northern Charr. 

 According to Mr Yarrell the chief differences which exist be- 

 tween the two Charrs are these, that " the Northern Charr 

 is an elegantly- shaped slender-bodied fish, with fins of small 

 comparative size ; whereas the Welsh Charr is a short fish, 

 considerably deeper for its length, witli very large fins, the 

 eye and gape are also much larger than in the Northern 

 Charr.'^ 



Genus OSMERUS. — Branchiostegous membrane with 

 eight rays only ; anal fin with more than fourteen rays ; 

 gape large ; teeth long and sharp ; intestinal canal without 

 caeca. 



OSMEBUS EPERLANUS.* ThE SpERLING. 



Specific Characters. — Vomerine teeth confined to the anterior extre- 

 mity ; under jaw longest. 



Description. — From a specimen eight inches In length. Head one- 

 fifth of the whole length, caudal included ; depth of the body under 

 the dorsal fin less than the length of the head ; basal line of the oper- 

 culum rather oblique ; subojierculum slightly produced behind at its 

 superior posterior margin ; preoperculum approaching to angular ; 

 under jaw the longest ; the extremity of the maxillary extending 

 back as far as the posterior margin of the orbit. Colour of the back 

 as far as the lateral line, dusky green ; sides marked with a metallic 

 grey band, extending from the upper part of the gill-cover to the 



" Osmerus eperlanus, Cuv., Flem,, Yarr., Jen. Salmo eperlanus, Linn.^ 

 Penn., Don. Smelt, Sperling. 



