194 ASCAMAN GYMNETRUS, 



about six inches : the head short, the mouth small, 

 and the eyes rather large : on the upper part of the 

 head, before the commencement of the dorsal fin, 

 were situated seven or eight upright, naked rays or 

 processes, of moderate length : the dorsal fin, which 

 was rather shallow, commenced at a small distance 

 beyond these, and running along the whole length 

 juf the back, formed by its continuation the tail-fin, 

 which was carried to a very small distance beneath 

 the body, there being, properly speaking, no vent- 

 fin : the pectoral fins were very small, of a slightly 

 ovate or rounded shape, and situated at a small 

 distance from the head : the ventral fins, if they 

 can be said to deserve the name, consisted of a 

 pair of extremely long single rays or processes ter- 

 minated by a small ovate expanded tip or finny 

 extremity: the gill-covers appeared to consist of 

 five or six radiated lamina? : the colour of the whole 

 body was bright silver, with a blueish cast diffused 

 over the upper part of the back : the lateral line 

 was strongly marked, and ran from the gill-covers 

 to the tail, and the sides of the body were marked 

 by several longitudinal double rows of slightly ex- 

 tant, very small, dusky specks : the forehead was 

 white ; the fins pale brown. 



This fish is said to be generally seen either pret 

 ceding or accompanying the shoals of herrings in 

 the northern seas, for which reason it is popularly 

 known by the title of King of the. Herrings. 



' V? 



