FISHES. 553 



than to any regular and voluntary migration ; nor does there 

 appear any very sufficient reason for distinguishing between 

 those species of birds, for example, which are driven to our 

 coasts by the immediate force of the tempest, and those 

 which are brought from the same countries, and wafted 

 hither by the same impelling power, but through the medium 

 of the sails of a ship, and secured by the safeguard of a 

 cage." 



Fam. 5. CLUPEIRE. 



Kather resemble many of the family of the cyprinidce in 

 shape and appearance, but every member of this family has 

 considerably more branchiostegous rays, usually six to eight, 

 one species as many as fourteen : abdomen compressed, the 

 scales on the margin forming a serrated ridge ; scales large 

 and thin ; fins small ; one single dorsal, with the pectorals 

 directly under it. All live in the sea. 



A. Under jaw projecting. 

 Gen. Clupea, L. 



Body without spots; mouth small, directed upwards. 

 The position of the ventrals, close to the dorsal fin, forms 

 the safest distinguishing character between the members of 

 this family. 



112. CLUPEA HARENGUS, L. Yanlig Sill. The Herring. 



D.F. 



Ventrals placed under the middle or foremost third 

 division of the dorsal fin ; abdominal keel not deeply 

 serrated. Br. rays 6 8; anal 16 to 18 rays. Length 

 7 to 15 in. 



Several different forms of herrings are taken off these 

 coasts, which are named after the localities and the seasons 

 of the year in which they are taken. The largest and best 

 are those caught on the Norwegian coast ; the smallest are 

 in the Baltic, and one form, called the stromming, never 

 exceeds 8 in. in length. 



They come on to these coasts to spawn at very different 

 seasons of the year. The large Norwegian winter herrings 



