62 FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



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FAMILY XL 

 MUGILOIDES. 



ATHERINA. Lin. 



Generic characters. Body rather elongated ; two dorsal fins 

 widely separated; ventral fins placed far behind the pectorals ; 

 sides with a broad, longitudinal, silver band ; teeth minute ; 

 branchiostegeous rays, 6. 



A. Boscii. Cuv. The small Silver Side. 



Trans. Lit. et Philosoph. Soc. N. Y. 1. 446, et fig. 

 Cuv. et Valenc. His. Nat. des Poiss. t, x. p. 465. 



The several species of foreign Atherinae, are known by the 

 names "Atherine" "Sand Smelts" and "Anchovies" and are 

 much valued as articles of food. This species was described by 

 Mitchell, in his " Fishes of New York," under the name of 

 " notata" I have seen but two specimens : one, was sent 

 me from Holmes Hole, by Dr. Yale ; the other was found by 

 Dr. Gould, at Provincetown. 



The specimen lying upon my table, is four inches in length : 

 its greatest depth is one inch and a half. Body elongated, of a 

 reddish brown color, with a broad silvery band arising at base 

 of pectorals, and continued to caudal rays. Length of head 

 five lines, flattened on top. Eyes circular, one line in diame- 

 ter ; pupils black, irides golden distance between the eyes rather 

 more than one line. Jaws equal in length, armed with very 

 small teeth ; gill-covers golden. 



The first Dorsal fin arises six lines back of the pectorals. 



The second Dorsal is lighter colored than the body, and dis- 

 tant three lines from the first dorsal. 



The Pectorals commence directly back of the upper part of 

 the operculum ; length less than one third of height ; color of 

 back ; upper rays double the length of the lower. 



The Ventrals arise on a line with posterior extremities of the 

 pectorals, and are five-rayed. 



