288 EEPOKT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



LoDgitudo tota quiuque pollicaris et altitudo maxima paulo ante pia- 

 nam dorsalem est unins polliciscum deiuidio. 



Dorsum rectum, couvesum, capitiparrellelum. Ca2mt catlietoplateura, 

 cranium rectum convexiusculum ; utringue compressum subtus augusta- 

 tum carinatum adsceudens a juucturis branchiarum versus os. Oculi 

 magai, ori proxitni : mystaces lalissimoe oseai pellucidoe iuermes Max- 

 illa inferior augusta, acuminata, oblique sursum spectaus, ad superio- 

 rem adductilis. Opercula plauiuscula, latissima, spleudedissima rotun- 

 datetruncata. Latera planiuscula, obliquata, mox post piunas pecto- 

 rales latissima, versus caudam gracilescentia. Ahdomen carinatum valde 

 l^rominens, squamis denticulato-serratum. Color argenteus splendens, 

 in dorso coerulescens. Linea lateralis nulla. Squamce imbricatim sitae, 

 latse, deciduse. Frima Borsi iu medio dorso parva radiis 18. Pecto- 

 rales iu imo pectore radiis 17. Yentrales approximatse parvse in imo 

 ventre, initio dorsalis oppositse medio inter ventrales et analem, radiis 

 sex. Analis humilis, medio inter ventrales et caudam, radiis 18, sensim 

 decrescentibus. Cauda profunde bifurcata, lobis sequalibus acuminatis, 

 radiis contiguis, subramosis. Latitudine laterum praesertim ab Harengo 

 B differre videtur. 



[From Giinther's "Catalogue of the Fishes in the British Museum," vol. vii, p. 436.] 

 Clupea menhaden. Mossbanker. 



Clnpea menhaden, Mitch., Lit. 8f Phil. Trans., Ifeio Yo7% i, p. 453, pi. 5, fig. 7. 



Alosa menhaden, Storer, Report Fish. Massach., \>. 117; Uekay, iv\ York Faun., \). 259, pi. 



21, iig. GO ; Ayers, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist., iv, p. 275 ; Cuv. & Val., sx, p. 424 ; 



Stoker, Mem. Am. Ac, vi, p. 337, pi. 26, fig. 3. 

 sadl))a, Dekay, I. c, p. 263, pi. 40, fig. 129. Mitchill's Clupea sadina (Trans. Lit. 



& Phil. Soc. New York, i, f). 457) was evidently a different fish, which, however 



cannot be determined at present. 

 Clupea carolinensis, Gronov, Syst., ed. Gray, p. 140. 

 Brevoortia menhaden, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Philad., 1861, p. 37. (Name only.) 



D 19 ; A. 19-20 ; V. 7. 



Scales irregularly arranged ; their free portion is very narrow and 

 deep, with the margin ciliated. The height of the body is rather less than 

 the length of the head, lohich is one-third of the total {without caudal). 

 Lower jaw shutting within the upper ; maxillary reaching to the verti- 

 cal from the hind margin of the orbit. No teeth on the palate or tongue. 

 Operculum jfiuely striated ; suboperculum large, tapering above. Gill- 

 rakers very fine and exceedingly long ; the horizontal branch of the 

 outer branchial arch consists of two portions joined at an obtuse angle. 

 Ventral fins opposite to the anterior third of the dorsal, the origin of 

 which is somewhat nearer to the caudal than to the end of the snout. 

 Basil half of the caudal fin covered with small scales. There are from 

 twelve to thirteen abdominal scutes behind the base of the ventral fins. 

 A blackish blotch in the scapulary region. 



