ZOOLOGY. 145 



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

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

 as bait ; whereas our Atlierinopses are valuable fishes. The 

 Atherinopsis californiensis 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 

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

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

 nets — never at sea, or with hooks. 



§ 121. Anchovies. — There are two anchovies [JEngraidis 

 inordax and JEngrauUs nanus) 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 flavor, but very bony. They are fully 

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

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

 the bays at all seasons of the year. 



§ 122. Sardine and Herring. — The sardine {3Ieletta cervr 

 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 rairabilis) 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. Yiviparoiis Fishes. — The viviparous or embiotocoid 

 fishes of this coast are a peculiar feature of its ichthyology. 

 They constitute, perhaps, the most remarkable natural group 

 of fishes in the world, and their discovery caused a marked 

 sensation among zoologists. Other viviparous fishes had been 

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

 immature condition ; Avhereas the little embiotocoid fishes are 

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

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