78 SALMONID^. 



third are the longest rays in the fin, nearly as high as the 

 body of the fish is deep, and as long again as the base of 

 the fin ; the two first rays simple, all the others branched : 

 the anterior edge of the adipose fin is half-way between the 

 base of the last ray of the dorsal fin and the end of the 

 fleshy portion of the tail, and in a vertical line over the 

 middle of the anal fin ; pectoral fins long and narrow ; 

 the ventral fins commence on the same plane as the dorsal 

 fin : the base of the anal fin long, commencing half-way 

 between the origin of the ventral fins and the end of the 

 fleshy portion of the tail ; the third ray the longest, but not 

 so long as the base of the fin ; the other rays diminish in 

 length gradually : the tail slender and deeply forked. The 

 fin-rays are — 



D. 11 : P. 11 : V. 8 : A. 15 : C. 19. 



The lower jaw much longer than the upper ; the gape 

 deeper than wide : the teeth long, and curving inwards ; those 

 on the anterior parts of the tongue and palatine bones are the 

 longest : the breadth of the eye about one-fifth of the whole 

 length of the head, the irides silvery white ; the gill-cover 

 triangular ; the upper part of the head flat ; the nape and 

 back rising ; the form of the body elongated and slender ; 

 the dorsal and abdominal lines slightly convex : the colour 

 of the upper part of the body pale ash green ; all the lower 

 parts, cheeks, and gill-covers, brilliant silvery white : the 

 scales oval, small, and deciduous : all the fins pale yellowish 

 white ; the ends of the caudal rays tipped with black. 



The specimen described measured seven inches in length. 

 Occasionally Smelts may be seen in the London markets ten 

 and eleven inches long, but this is an unusually large size. 

 Pennant mentions having seen one that was thirteen inches 

 long, and weighed eight ounces. 



