GREA T BRITAIN. 287 



and well-developed striae descending towards the sub- 

 opercle. Teeth. In jaws excessively fine or absent, none 

 on the palate nor on the tongue. Fins. Origin of the 

 dorsal fin nearer the snout than it is to the base of the 

 caudal fin. Ventral inserted below the middle of the 

 dorsal fin. Anal low, its last two rays slightly prolonged. 

 Caudal deeply forked with two or three large scales at its 

 base. 



Scales. 17 to 19 scutes before and 14 posterior to the 

 base of the ventral fin. Co/ours. Greenish olive, with 

 a bluish band along the body, and silvery sides. 



Varieties. It is by no means rare to see pilchards, even 

 many as I in 5 among thousands, sparingly marked 

 th black spots, and which become still more apparent on 

 scales being removed. In some the eyes are black 

 ged, in others white ; the former, according to Mr. 

 unn's observations, being most numerous in the summer 

 months, the latter in the autumn. 



Habits. Gregarious fishes, timid, being easily alarmed 

 by noises. These fish congregate in dense masses by day, 

 but as evening sets in they spread out along the shore 

 (I am here alluding to St. Austell's Bay), apparently 

 feeding from off the land, and so retire to the deeper 

 waters with the return of the morning's light. At sundown 

 nets are shot outside these feeding-places, thus arresting 

 the shoals in their progress towards the deep sea, while, 

 during the daytime, these fish are taken on the deep-sea 

 side of the nets. 



They have been known to ascend into brackish water 

 when under the influence of fear ; thus, in 1722, a large 

 number were taken in the Dart at Totnes weir, having 

 been chased there by porpoises; and in July, 1880, when 

 it was nearly low water, one was seen coming down the 



