1818] NEW SPECIES OF FISHES. 235 



THE HERRINGS. Clupea. L. 



* The Herrings have the maxillars bowed in front, 

 longitudinally divisible into several parts. The opening 

 of the mouth moderate, not wholly set with teeth^ often 

 indeed toothless. Dorsal fin abave the ventrals. Many 

 are taken in our seas, not easily distinguished from their 

 resemblance in form and argentine colour. (Cuv. Regno 

 Animal.) 



Dr. Mitchill, in his memoir on Fishes, inserted in the 

 Literary and Philos. Trans, of Newyork, has introduced 

 to us thirteen species of the family of Glupea, among 

 which we have not found those which have come under 

 our observation, and of which we are about to give a con- 

 cise description, considering them as new. Two of the 

 species are of the genus Herring of Cuvier, and the three 

 others of the genus Megalopes (La Cep.) 



The first species, which I call Clupea fasciata, (Fas- 

 ciated Herring), is known under the name of Alewife 

 by the fishermen of Sandwich, and appears only in the 

 spring; but about the end of August 1816, we still had a 

 sight of several individuals, in length one, two, four, 

 eight and nine inches, all alike, except as to size. Body 

 compressed; back straight; breast and abdomen forming 

 a bow downwards as far as the tail; seven to eight lines 

 of a blackish blue at the sides of the back, and a round- 

 ed notch at the bottom of the divisions of* the tail, of 

 which the lower lobe is longest. 



The entire length of the body is about six times that 

 of the head, which is not quite equal to the depth of the 

 body; snout short; jaws equal; maxillars of middling 



