ABDOMINAL MALACOPTKRYGIANS. 203 



PUISTIG ASTER, CuV., 



Have the head and teeth of an ordinary Herring; four branchial rays, 

 and apparently no ventrals; the abdomen strongly compressed, forming a 

 trenchant, convex, and dentated arch. From both Oceans*. 



NoTOPTERUS, Lacep. 



The Notopteri, which for a long time were placed among the Gymnoti, 

 approach nearer to the Herrings. Their opercula and cheeks arc scaly; 

 tlieir suborbitals, the lower part of their preopercula and interopercula, 

 the two ridges of their lower jaw, and the carina of their abdomen, den- 

 tated; both jaws and the palatines armed with fine teeth; most of the 

 upper jaw formed by the maxillary; the tongue furnished with strong 

 hooked teeth. The branchiostegal membrane has a single, but strong 

 and bony ray; two almost imperceptible ventrals are followed by a very 

 long anal, which occupies three-fourths of the length, and is united, as in 

 Gymnotus, with the fin of the tail; on th% back, opposite to the middle 

 of this anal, is a small dorsal with soft rays. 



A species is known which inhabits the fresh-water ponds of India; 

 it is the Gymnotus notopterus, Pall. Spic. VI, pi. vi, f. 2; the 

 Clupea synura, Sch. 426; or the Notoptere kapirat, Lacep. f 



Engraulis, Ctw. 



The Anchovies form a genus sufficiently distinguished from that of the 

 Herrings by the mouth, which is cleftfar behind the eyes, and by the greater 

 opening of the branchiae, which have twelve or more rays; a little point- 

 ed snout, under which are fixed the very small intermaxillaries, projects in 

 front of the mouth ; maxillaries straight and elongated. 



The common species have not even the trenchant abdomen ; their anal 

 is short, and the dorsal corresponds to the ventrals. 



E. encrasicholus, CI. encrasicholus, L. ; Bl. 302. (The Common 

 Anchovy). A span long; back a bluish brown; flanks and belly 

 silvery; is taken in countless numbers in the Mediterranean, and as 

 far as Holland, and is prepared for sauce after the head and intes- 

 tines are removed. 



E. meletta, Cuv. ; the Melet, Duham., Sect. VI, pi. iii, f. 5. A 

 small species with a less convex profile ; also from the Mediterra- 

 nean. 



E. edentulus, Cuv.; Sloane, Jam. II, pi. 250, f. 2j. A spe- 

 cies without any teeth. America produces several others equally 

 remarkable. 



• Pr. tardoore, Cuv., Russ. 193; — Pr. cnyanus, Cuv., a new species. 



t It is truly the Sea-Tench of Bontius, Ind. 78, but not the Capirat or Pangais, 

 Ren., feuille Ifi, f. 90, which has long ventrals. 



I .\dd, Engr. lemniscalus, Cuv., or piquitingri, Marcgr. 159, Spix. XXIII; — the 

 Sinldphore comniersnvien, Lacep. V, XII, 1, or Niiltoo, Rusa. 187, probably the Athe- 



<a niinlrolis, White, p. 196, f. 1 ;— the Clupee tuherculpuse. Lacep. V, p. 460. 



N.B. His CI. rate d' argent does not differ from his Stol^pleore. 



ripa 



