ZOOLOGY. 145 



true smelts, but belong to the same genus with the sandcr- 

 lings of the Atlantic, Avhich last are thrown away, or used only 

 as bait ; whereas our Atherinopses are valuable fishes. The 

 Athermojysis callforniensis forms the great bulk of the smelts 

 in our market. It is the largest of the Pacific smelts, some- 

 times reaching a length of fifteen inches, and a pound in weight. 

 The Osmerus species are small. All of them have bright silver 

 bands along their sides. The smelts are more abundant here 

 than on the Eastern coast, and are the best of our small fishes. 

 They are caught at all seasons of the year ; in the bays with 

 nets — never at sea, or witli hooks. 



§ 121. A72chovies. — ^There are two snachoYies ^{J^ngrauUs 

 mordax and JEnc/rcmlis 7iamis) on the coast of California. 

 They are so nearly alike, that they are undistinguishable ex- 

 cept by ichthyologists. Both are small, from four to six inches 

 long, very delicate in flav^or, but very bony. They are fully 

 equal to the European anchovy for the table. They feed on 

 minute animalculae, go in shoals, and are caught with nets in 

 the bays at all seasons of the year. 



§ 122. Sardine and Her ring. — The sardine [Meletta ceru- 

 lea) is abundant from Humboldt Bay to San Diego. It grows 

 to a length of eight or nine inches, and is therefore much larger 

 than the Mediterranean sardine, to which it is fully equal in 

 flavor. It is found along the coast from April to October, and 

 is caught in the bays with nets. 



The herring {Clupea mirahilis) is not so abundant as the 

 Atlantic species, nor so large, but is equal in flavor. It comes 

 in the spring, and goes in the autumn. 



§ 123. Viviparous Fishes. — The viviparous or embiotocoid 

 fishes of this coast are a peculi:ir feature of its ichthyology. 

 They constitute, perlinps, the most remirkable natural group 

 of fishes in the world, and their discovery caused a m.ii ked 

 sensation nmong zoologists. Other vivij)arons fishes had been 

 previously known, but their young are brought forth in a very 

 inunature condition ; whereas the little embiotocoid fishes are 

 born with a fulness of development similar to that of warm- 



