528 FISHES. 



lobes, of which the lower is nearly twice the length of the upper j 

 the yentral fins are rather large, of a lengthened and pointed 

 shape, and situated a little beyond the middle of the abdomen tom 

 wards the anal fin : on each side the lower part of the abdomen 

 runs a kind of carina or lateral line, formed by a series of small, 

 inclining points, or spicules. 



This species is frequently observed in the Mediterranean, some* 

 times singly, and sometimes appearing in small shoals. Instances 

 are not unfreqnent of its falling into ships during the decline of 

 its flight. It is considered as an agreeable fish for the table, and 

 by some is even preferred to the herring. The geiaeral height at 

 which it is observed to exercise its flight, is about three feet above 

 the surface of the water. 



[Shaw. 



SECTION XIV. 



Herring, 



Clupea harengus. Linn. 



This fish, so eminently important in a commercial view, and 

 which may justly be said to form one of the wonders of the northern 

 world, is principally distinguished by the brilliant silvery colour of 

 its body, the advancement of the lower jaw beyond the upper, and 

 by the number of rays in the anal fin, which, in by far the greater 

 number of specimens, are found to amount to seventeen* : the 

 back is of a dusky blue or greenish cast, and in the recent or 

 living fish the gill. covers are marked by a reddish, and sometimes 

 by a violet-colouTed spot : the eyes are large ; the mouth without 

 visible teeth ; the openings of the gill-covers very large ; the scales 

 rather large, and easily deslduous ; the lateral line not very dis- 

 tinctly visible ; the abdomen pretty sharply carinated, and in some 

 specimens, slightly serrated : .the fins are rather small than large 

 for the size of the fish, and the tail strongly forked. In size the 

 herring is observed to vary greatly, and there are probably some 

 permanent varieties of this species which yet want their exact de- 

 scription. The general size is perhaps from ten to twelve or thir- 

 teen inche9. 



* Mr* Pennant says fourteen : the number indeed is not absolutely onstant, 

 btt the most general appears to be seventeen. 



