246 THE COMMERCIAL SEA FISHES OF 



Length of head 44 to 5 ; of caudal fin 7 to 71 ; height 

 of body 7 to 8 in the total length. Eyes. Without adipose 

 lids. Diameter \ of the length of the head, and f of a 

 diameter apart. Form of body slender, tapering towards 

 both extremities ; a little thicker along the back than 

 along the abdomen. Snout very prominent and pointed. 

 Cleft of mouth very deep, extending to beyond the hind 

 edge of the eye. Upper jaw much longer than the lower. 

 Gills cleft as far towards as to beneath the eyes. Teeth. 

 Present in both jaws ; very fine in the lower ; also on the 

 palatines, and sometimes on the vomer. Fins. The dorsal 

 commences midway between the end of the snout and the 

 base of the caudal fin. Anal very low. Caudal forked. 

 Scales. Very deciduous. Abdomen rounded, without any 

 carinated edge. Two large scales on the base of the 

 caudal fin. Colours. Greenish along the back when alive ; 

 silvery on the sides and beneath. Soon after death the 

 back becomes dark steel blue. 



Habits. Gregarious. At certain seasons of the year 



ascending rivers almost as far as the tide flows. It 



approaches the shore somewhat earlier than the large 



shoals of pilchards, and continues in shallow water until 



October or November ; but it remains about the coast 



until February ; while Couch obtained an example in 



March from the stomach of a mackerel. Dillwyn observed 



that off Swansea in some summers there are vast numbers 



in the bay. Along the Devonshire coast they appear to be 



rare. In November, 1871, Mr. Dunn reported upwards of 



150,000 were taken in a pilchard seine-net in Mevagissey 



Bay ; they were used for manure. He remarked that it is 



seldom they come so close inshore, although quantities 



hang about the coast. It is said to eat small Crustacea, fry, 



and sea insects. 



