PISCES—SMELT...GRAYLING. 731 
THE SMELT! 

Innasits the northern seas, and is never found so far south as the Mediter- 
ranean. Its name is supposed to be a contraction of ‘smell it,” from its 
very agreeable smell. The Germans, however, call it the stink-fish. Its 
form is very elegant; it is of a silvery color, tinged with yellow; and the 
skin is almost transparent. The largest we have heard of was thirteen 
inches long, and weighed half a pound. 

THE GRAYLING? 

Is in general of a fine silvery gray, but when just taken it is varied slightly 
with blue and gold. The scales are large; the first dorsal fin consists of 
twenty-one rays; this fin is spotted; all the rest are plain; the tail is much 
forked. It haunts clear and rapid streams, particularly those of mountain- 
ous countries. In Lapland, where it is very common, the inhabitants use 
its entrails, instead of rennet, to make their cheese from the milk of the 
rein-deer. The stomach is so hard and thick, that to the touch it appears like 
cartilage. The largest that has been heard of was taken near Ludlow; it 
was half a yard long, and weighed four pounds six ounces. The ancients 
believed that the oil from them would obliterate freckles and small pox 
marks. 

—— 
1 Osmerus eperlanus, Cuv. The characteristics of this genus are the mouth at the ex- 
tremity of the snout; head compressed; scales scarcely visible; two dorsal fins; two 
rows of scattered teeth on each palatine bone ; bronchial membrane with eight rays. 
2 Coregonus thymallus, Cuv. This genus has the mouth at the extremity of the snout. 
very little cleft ; head compressed ;, Scales large ; two dorsal fins, of which the second 1s 
adipose, and without rays; bronchial membrane with seven or eight rays; teeth small. 
