138 CLUPEID^E. 



Northern Seas, and among our Northern Islands, are no 

 doubt to be considered as referring to our Shads. 



The specimen described measured two feet in length ; 

 the body deep and compressed ; the thickness rather less 

 than one- third of the depth. The length of the head com- 

 pared to that of the whole fish is as one to six ; the depth 

 compared to the whole length, as one to four and a half. 

 The length of the base of the dorsal fin three inches ; the 

 fourth ray, which is the longest, is one-third shorter than the 

 whole length of the base of the fin ; the first and second rays 

 shorter than the third ; these three rays simple, all the others 

 branched : the first ray half-way between the point of the 

 nose and the last ray of the anal fin ; the last ray exactly 

 half-way between the point of the nose and the end of the 

 tail. Pectoral fin small ; the upper ray the longest, strong, 

 and simple ; the others branched : ventral fin also small ; the 

 first ray arising in a vertical line under the first ray of the 

 dorsal fin ; axillary scales long, narrow, and pointed : anal 

 fin commencing half-way between the ventral fin and the 

 origin of the lower caudal rays, nearly one-fourth longer in 

 the base than the dorsal fin ; the first three rays shorter than 

 the fourth, which is the longest, and only one-third the 

 length of the base of the fin : the tail long and slender, 

 deeply forked ; the rays of the middle only one-fourth of the 

 length of the longest external rays ; the seventh and thir- 

 teenth caudal rays furnished with membranous appendages on 

 each side similar to those observed in the Twaite Shad. The 

 fin-rays in number are 



D. 19 : P. 15 : V. 9 : A. 26 : C. 20. 



The lower jaw the longest and smooth ; the upper jaw 

 with a central notch ; the lateral edges crenated : the breadth 

 of the eye rather less than one-fifth of the length of the 



