﻿328 HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



first ray is of a dark-bro^vTi color ; they are of the sarae height as the first rays of the 

 dorsal fin. 



The ventrals commence on a line with the origin of the dorsal fin, and are not quite 

 as high as the pectorals ; their rays are multifid. 



The anal fin is situated at the same distance back of the ventrals that the ventrals 

 are back of the pectorals ; it is longer than high, and its length is equal to the height 

 of the pectorals. 



The caudal fin is deeply forked. 



The fin rays are as follows : — D. 11. P. 14. Y. 9. A. 15. C. 19. 



Length, three to ten inches. 



Bemarks. This beautiful species is brought to Boston market in the spring and 

 autumn in large quantities, and is highly esteemed as an article of food. In the spring 

 it is taken in nets up the rivers, and in winter Avith the hook beneath the ice. In 

 Watertown alone, about 750,000 dozen are taken annually in scoop-nets, from the first 

 of March to the first of June. The largest specimens I have seen were taken in Milton 

 Eiver in the latter part of December, 1837. Four specimens taken, without regard to 

 size, weighed one pound and a half. 



Maine, Massachusetts, Lesueur, Storer. Xew York, Mitchill, Dekay. " From 

 the waters of Huron to the coast of Labrador," Dekay. 



GENUS III. SCOPELUS, Ccv. 

 Body long, slender ; the principal dorsal fin oxer the interAal between the ventral and 

 anal fins ; a second dorsal, so small as to be scarcely perceptible. The head short ; the 

 mouth and gill-aperture large ; small teeth on both jaws ; palate and tongue smooth. 



ScOPELUS HUMBOLDTII, CuV. 



TJie Argentine. 

 (Plate XXV. Fig. 5.) 



Argentina sphyrcena, Argenline, Penn., Brit. ZoiJl., ili. p. 286, fig. 

 Scopelus HunMdtii, Cov., An. King., Eng. edit., x. p. 432. 



« " Tareell, Brit. Fisli., 1st edit., ii. p. 94, fig. ; 2d edit., ii. p. 161, fig. 



" " The Argentine, Stoker, Eeport, p. 110. 



" ? " Dekat, Eeport, p. 246. 



" " Storeb, Mem. Amer. Acad., Xew Series, ii. p. 450. 



" •' " Synopsis, p. 198. 



" " Ccv. et Val., Nat Hist, des Pois., xxii. p. 431. 



Color. Back, to depth of a line, dark brownish-green. Sides, opercula, and beneath 

 orbit silverv, as also irides. A row of large circular golden spots on a bluish-metallic 



