MECALOPS. FISHES. 407 



C. Sprattus, Lin. The Sprat. Body narrow, silvery; back bluish ; 



scales easily detached ; under jaw longer than the upper ; anal 



fin with nineteen rays ; tail forked. 5 inches long. Inhabits 



European Seas. B Block, pi. 29, fig. 2. 



This is probably, notwithstanding the statements to the contrary, the young of the 

 common Herring or Pilchard. 



C. Alosa, Lin. The Shad. Upper jaw cleft at its extremity ; body 

 bright silvery, shading to dusky on the back ; a black spot near 

 the gills, accompanied when young by four or five others. 18 to 

 20 inches long. Inhabits Mediterranean and Northern Seas, and 

 ascends the rivers at particular seasons. B Shaw, v. pi. 120. 



C. Africana, Cuv. Head small, compressed, without scales ; lower 

 jaw longer than the upper ; back and belly carinated, the back 

 steel-coloured, the belly silvery ; fins grayish, that of the tail very 

 long and forked. Inhabits Coasts of Africa. Block, pi. 407- 



C. Chinensis, Cuv. Body slender, head tapering ; lower jaw long- 

 er than the upper ; no teeth in either ; body silvery ; fins yel- 

 lowish, those of the back and tail with a deeper border. 10 in- 

 ches long. Inhabits Indian Seas Block, pi. 405. 



Gen. 19. MEGALOPS, Lacepede. Clupea, Bloch. 



Eyes very large ; twenty-four rays or more on the branchial 

 membrane ; last ray of the dorsal fin terminating in a long 

 filament. 



M.Jilamentosus, Lacep. (C. cyprinoides, Bloch.) Body compres- 

 sed, and covered with large scales ; head, sides, and belly silvery ; 

 back and fins bluish; last ray of the dorsal fin long, extending back- 

 wards in the form of a long filament. 10 to 12 feet long. In- 

 habits Indian and American Seas Bloch, pi. 403. 



M. Thrissa, Cuv. Head small, compressed, and without scales ; the 

 lower jaw bent upwards, and terminating in a point which fills 

 the notch in the upper ; body bluish silvery, dusky on the back ; 

 pectoral fins bluish ; last ray of the dorsal fin much elongated. 

 10 or 12 inches long. American Seas Bloch, pi. 404. 



M. nasus, Cuv. Back blue ; belly and flanks silvery ; snout long, 

 projecting beyond the jaws ; dorsal fin with the last ray long and 

 slender. 7 or 8 inches long. Indian Seas. Bloch, pi. 429. 



Gen. 20. ENGRAULIS, Cuv. Clupea, Lin. 

 Ethmoid and nasal bones forming a projecting point, below 

 which the very small intermaxillaries are fixed ; maxillary 

 bones straight and very long ; jaws much cleft, and both fur- 

 nished with teeth ; branchial openings large. 



E. encrasicolus, Cuv. The Anchovy. Upper jaw longer than the 

 under ; back brown ; sides and belly silvery ; fins short ; dorsal 

 fin opposite the ventrals, transparent, that of the tail forked. 

 3 inches long. Inhabits European Seas. Shaw, v. pi. 120. 



