FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 117 



Whole body covered with large, deciduous scales, with the ex- 

 ception of the head, which is naked. Eyes large ; pupils black ; 

 irides silvery ; the diameter of the eye equal to the distance 

 between the eyes. Nostrils nearer the anterior angle of the 

 eye than the snout. Upper jaw notched in its centre ; its lat- 

 eral edges slightly crenated. Length of the head to the whole 

 length of the body as 1 to 6 ; the greatest depth of the body 

 equal to nearly two thirds the length of the head ; th3 width 

 across the body, from the commencement of the dorsal fin to 

 the anal, nearly one fifth the length of the fish. Abdominal 

 ridge serrated throughout, from the inferior angle of tlie oper- 

 culum to the anus ; the serrations more prominent back of the 

 ventrals. At the posterior angle of the operculum, a black 

 blotch of considerable size ; in some specimens very indistinct 

 until the scales are removed, when it is very obvious. 



The Dorsal fin, which shuts into a groove, is situated on the 

 middle of the dorsal ridge ; the height of the first rays is equal 

 to two thirds its length. 



The Pectorals silvery ; their length equal to about one third 

 their height ; all the rays, save the first, are branched. 



The Ventrals are situated opposite the middle of the dorsal. 



The Anal fin is also received into a groove ; its fourth ray, 

 which is highest, is less than one third the length of the fin. 



The Caudal fin is deeply forked ; its depth at the base is to 

 the depth of the expanded extremities as 2 to 5 ; two mem- 

 branous appendages on each side, near the centre of the fin. 



The fin rays are : D. 19 ; P. 16 ; V. 9 ; A. 20 ; C. 20. 



A. menhaden. Mitchell. The Menhaden. Hardhead, 



Trans. Lit. et Philosoph. Soc. v. i. 453. 



This species, which is known by the names of ^^Menhaden,^^ 

 ^•Pauhagen,^^ ''Hardhead,^^ &c. is met with in very great num- 

 bers, coming into Massachusetts Bay, about the middle of May, 

 and leaving it in November, and is an exceedingly valuable fish. 



