164 SALMONIDES. 



ited by the shad and herring, that is not also the re- 

 sort of the alewife. Vast quantities are pickled, 

 smoked, Stc.both for home and foreign consump- 

 tion. 



It has been suggested, that alewife is derived 

 from the " Indian word aloof signifying a bony 

 fish. 



BRET, or BRIT, Clupea Minima. Probably 

 this is the fish mentioned by Dr Belknap. It is 

 very small and delicate, seldom exceeding more 

 than one inch and a half, having a black back, and 

 silvery scales on the sides. The median line is 

 straight, and near the spine. The pectoral fins 

 are large, made up of ten rays, flexible, like a 

 brush, and near the gills. Ventral fins three 

 two posterior to the vent, and a single one near the 

 tail. 



There is but one dorsal fin, directly opposite 

 the posterior ventral: the caudal, contains from 

 fourteen to eighteen soft rays ; gill cover in one 

 broad plate, having a line that, at first sight, ap- 

 pears to divide it into two pieces. 



The eye is full, and the under jaw a little the 

 longest. Although this appears like a fish in min- 

 iature, it is very beautiful. Prepared as the an- 

 chovies are, there is every reason to suppose they 

 would be equally prized for the table. Shoals 



