86 



median series commencing bebind its base, its inner rays 

 being much longer than the outer ones ; this fin is inserted 

 before the dorsal, not far behind the tip of the pectorals, 

 when laid back. Dorsal fin higher than long, nearly in the 

 middle of the length of the body ; adipose fin small. Anal 

 fin short. Caudal forked. Back and sides above mottled 

 reddish or olive-brown, varying much in tint ; sides below 

 lateral line paler ; belly faint yellow. Length, 12 to 26 

 inches. 



Fin-rays :— D. 11.0; P. li ; V. 8 ; A. 12; C. 20. 



Saur us /ceteris, Catesby, South Carolina, II, p. 2, tab. 2, 

 fig. 2. 



Salmo fcetens, L. Syst. Nat. I, p. 513. 



Saurus fcetens, Cuv. & Val. XXII, p. 471 ; Holbr. Ichth. S. 

 Car., p. 187, pi. 26, fig. 1. 



It is a very common fish in the tide water of both shores of 

 the southern end of the Eastern shore. Quietly resting on 

 the sand, it darts away with great rapidity if disturbed. 



AoAD. Coll. 



XLVIIa-MICROSTOMIDa;. 



OSMERUS, Artedi. ^ 



O. mordax, 



American Smelt. 



Body elongated, cylindrical, tapering gradually towaid;s the 

 head and tail. The large scales are oval, and number sixty- 

 six in the transverse series above the lateral line. This line 

 is straight, and not concurrent with the dorsal outline. Head 

 smooth, sloping, more than one-fifth of the total length. 

 Nostrils large, double, contiguous, nearly equidistant between 

 the eyes and end of the snout. Eyes large. Lower jaw 

 longer than the upper, armed with strong, acute, recurved 



