.1-13 



NA TUEAL UISTOli Y. 



Osmerus viridescens, occurring on the Atlantic coast of the United States ; and the SMELT (Osmerus 

 eperlanus), which is common on the coasts and in the fresh waters of Northern and Central Europe. It 

 is plentifully taken on the rivers of the east coast of England and Scotland, and is termed Smelt by the 

 Danes. It is found in fresh water only from August to May. After depositing its small yellow eggs it 

 returns to the sea. The eggs, unlike those of the Salmon, are not covered over. The Smelt is remark- 

 able for its cucumber-like odour, which becomes less powerful when the fish has been some time out of 

 water. It is one of the most delicate and exquisitely flavoured fish brought to table. Yarrell mentions 

 that they have been kept for several years in ponds having no communication with the sea, and had in 

 no way deteriorated in size or flavour. Occasionally specimens have been caught thirteen inches long, 

 but the usual size is about seven inches. The back is of a transparent greenish tinge, and the sides 

 are silvery. The scales are small, ova 1 , and deciduous. The lower jaw is longer than the upper jaw. 



SMELT. 



The largest teeth are on the vomer and fore part of the tongue : there is a double series of teeth on 

 the mandible. There are usually about sixty vertebra and very few pyloric appendages to the stomach. 



The CAPELIN (Mallotus viHontg)ls one of the smallest of the Salmonidte, found on the shores of 

 Kamtschatka and Arctic North America. It lives on the sea-bottom, and comes to the surface to 

 spawn, when it often congregates in incredible numbers. It is eaten fresh in Iceland, and dried 

 in Greenland. It furnishes one of the most important baits for the Newfoundland fisheries. 



Coregonus is a genus of fishes found in the fresh waters of the north temperate regions of the 

 Northern hemisphere, but many species periodically move into the Arctic Ocean. Dr. Giinther states 

 that they are less variable than the Trout, and all the species are characterised by having the body 

 covered with medium sized scales, by a deeply forked caudal fin, a large air-bladder, and a horseshoe- 

 shaped stomach, to which there are numerous pyloric appendages. The Coregonus oxyrhynchus, well 

 known on the coast and in the fresh waters of Holland, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, has the 

 snout produced in the upper jaw into a fleshy conical process. The snout is also somewhat prolonged 

 in the Swedish species Coregonus lloydii, where, however, it is much thicker. 



Coregonus quadrilateralis has the profile of the snout i^emarkably rounded, and has the eye very 

 large. It i-eaches a length of eighteen inches, and is characteristic of the northern parts of North 

 America. Several species have the snout obliquely truncated ; among these are the Coregonus 

 lapponicus, from Lapland, and the Coregonus lavaretus, which is found in the great lakes of 



