MALACOPTERYGII ABDOMINALES, 237 



Pristigaster, Cuv. 



Head and teeth of an ordinary Herring; four branchial rays, and 

 apparently no ventrals; the abdomen strongly compressed, forming 

 a trenchant, convex, and dentated arch. From both Oceans. (1) 



NoTOPTERUS, Lacep. 



The Notopteri, which for a long time were placed among the Gym- 

 noti, approach tiearer to the Herrings. Their opercula and cheeks 

 are scaly; their suborbitals, the lower part of their preopercula and 

 interopercula, the two ridges of their lower jaw, and the carina of 

 their abdomen, dentated; both jaws and the palatines armed with 

 fine teeth; most of the upper jaw formed by the maxillary; the tongue 

 furnished with strong hooked teeth. The branchiostegal membrane 

 has a single, but strong and bony ray; two almost imperceptible 

 ventrals are followed by a very long anal, which occupies three- 

 fourths of the length and unites, as in Gymnotus, with the fin of the 

 tail; on the back, opposite to the middle of this anal, is a small dor- 

 sal with soft rays. 



A species is known which inhabits the fresh water ponds of 



India; it is the Gymnotus notopteriis, Pall. Spic, VI, pi. vi, f. 2; 



the Clupea synura, Sch., 426; or the Notoptere kapirat, Lacep. (2) 



EngrauliSj Cuv. 



A genus sufficiently distinguished from that of the Herrings by the 

 mouth, which is clefl far behind the eyes, and by the greater open- 

 ing of the branchiae, which have twelve or more rays; a little point- 

 ed snout, under which are fixed the very small intermaxillaries, 

 projects in front of the mouth; maxillaries straight and elongated. 



The common species have not even the trenchant abdomen; their 

 anal is short, and the dorsal corresponds to the ventrals. 



£. encrasicholus, CI. encrasichol., L.; Bl. 302. (The Common 

 Anchovy.) A span long; back, a bluish brown; flanks and belly 

 silvery; is taken in countless numbers in the Mediterranean, 

 and as far as Holland. 



E. meletta, Cuv. Duham., Sect. VI, pi. iii, f. 5. A small spe- 

 cies with a more convex profile; also from the Mediterranean. 



(1) Pr. tardoore, Cuv., Russ, 193; — Pr. cayanus, Cuv., a new species. 



(2) It is truly the Sea-Tench of Bontius, Inrl., 78, but not the Capirat or Pangais, 

 lien , feuille 16, f. 90, which has long ventrals. 



