CHAPTER VI. 



THE SMELT. 

 Osmerus Viridescens. 



THIS beautiful, almost transparent, and prolific little fish, as 

 an angle fish may be said to belong almost exclusively to 

 the Bostonians, in whose vicinity it is found and caught in 

 large quantities. It is supposed to derive its name from its 

 peculiar smell when taken out of the water, being similar in 

 scent to the cucumber. It is called the dainty of Boston, is 

 taken in large quantities by hook and net, and makes quite a 

 desirable article for the palate by the addition of a frying-pan 

 operation. 



" Color. Pale olive green above the lateral line ; opercles 

 and sides silvery ; obscure traces just below the lateral line, of 

 a broad satin-like band, extending the whole length of the 

 body ; the place of the ribs indicates unusually lustrous stripes, 

 which disappear shortly after death ; upper part of the opercles, 

 near the nape, dark green ; caudal dark at the base, and with 

 an obscure marginal band ; dorsal caudal fins light green ; pec- 

 torals, ventrals, and anal light colored, tinged faintly with 

 bluish ; irides silvery ; bones of the head sub-diaphanous." 

 DeKay. 



In habits they are similar to the salmon, and are classed by 

 naturalists among that species. Their average size is from six 

 to nine inches in length, and are occasionally taken as long as 

 twelve or thirteen inches.* They run up from the sea into 



* Narborough, a celebrated voyager, says. "The smelts at Monte 

 Video are four and-twenty inches in length ; they are semi-transparent, 

 and are most delicious eating; they are very abundant, and may be 

 caught with the hook. They are also to be taken in the Straits of 

 Magellan, twenty-nine inches in length and eight in circumference." 



