174 MALACOP. ABDOM. HERRING FAMILY. 



and the editor of his works, published in 1812, 

 states that he had little doubt about it being the 

 Blanquet of Duhamel, which is synonymous with 

 the C. latulus of Cuvier, the name that author as- 

 signs to the Whitebait. All doubt upon the sub- 

 ject was removed by Mr. Yarrell, in 1828, by the 

 publication of his researches,* and the Whitebait is 

 now looked upon as a well marked species. 



The length is from three to four inches and a 

 half ; the colour of the back pale greenish ash, nearly 

 all the other parts silvery white. The food consists 

 of minute Crustacea. They appear in the Thames 

 about the end of March or beginning of April, being 

 then small and immature. They are in best condi- 

 tion for the table from June to August, and it is 

 during that season the Londoners resort to Green- 

 wich and Blackwall to partake of them. It is the 

 practice of some of the corporations of London, the 

 members of the Royal Society, and cabinet minis- 

 ters, to repair to one or other of these places annu- 

 ally to enjoy a Whitebait dinner. The fish are 

 prepared for cooking by being laid on a napkin 

 and sprinkled with fine flour and a little salt ; they 

 are then rolled about the cloth till well covered by 

 the flour. Portions of them are then taken up in a 

 skellet and thrown into a pot of boiling hot lard, 

 where they continue till they have acquired a pale 

 straw colour, when they are ready for table. 



Gen. LXXI. ALOSA. This genus was separated 



from Clupea by Cuvier, from the circumstance of 



* Zoo}. Journ., vol. iv. p. 137 & 465, pi. 10. 



