HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 161 



Within a few years numbers have been packed and inspected for exportation as an 

 article of food. In 1832, 300 barrels were inspected; in 1833, 480; in 1834, 1,008 ; 

 in 1835, 1,443 ; in 1836, 1,488 ; in 1837, 461 ; in 1838, 1,164 ; in 1839, 1,083; in 

 1840,1,427; in 1841, 2,138 ; in 1842, 566 ; in 1843,854; in 1844, 476 ; in 1845, 

 272; in 1846, 585; in 1847, 132; in 1848, 137; in 1849, 78; in 1850, 137; in 1851, 

 ; in 1852, 107 ; in 1853, ; in 1854, ; in 1855, ; in 1856, 63 ; in 1857, 203. 



This species is much more numerous along our coast in some years than in others ; 

 thus, in the year 1845 they might readily be purchased for from twenty to thirty cents 

 per barrel, while in 1847 the fishermen would willingly have offered one dollar per 

 barrel. 



Maine, Massachusetts, Storer. Connecticut, Ayres, Linsley. New York, Mitch- 

 ill, Dekay. 



Alosa cyanonoton, Storer. 



The Blue-back. 



(Plate XXVII. Fig. 1.) 



Alosa Ci/anonoton, Storer, Pi'oc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist-, n. p. 242. 



Color. Above bluish, cupreous upon the sides and the opercula ; silvery beneath. 

 When the large deciduous scales are removed, the entire upper portion of the body is 

 of a deep greenish-blue color. A large, circular black spot exists just back of the pos- 

 terior angle of the operculum ; the opercula present a beautiful arborescent appearance. 

 Pupils black, hides golden. 



Description. Body stout, elongated. The abdominal ridge is serrated, the serrations 

 being stronger back of the ventrals. Twenty serrations exist anterior to, and fifteen 

 back of, the ventrals. The length of the head is less than one fifth the length of the 

 body ; the greatest depth of the fish is equal to about one fourth the length of the 

 body. The jaws are equal. The eyes are moderate-sized and circular. The nostrils 

 are large, near the snout. 



The dorsal fin arises on the anterior half of the body ; it is quadrangular, and emar- 

 ginated above. 



The pectorals are falciform, and equal in height to the length of the dorsal, with ac- 

 cessory plates at their base. 



The ventrals are fan-shaped, and have accessory plates. 



The anal fin is low, and longer than the dorsal. 



The- caudal is deeply forked, and has at its base two membranous pouches. 



