Fishes of Massachusetts. 295 
beneath the water, quietly lying upon the rocky 
bottom. In the winter, this fish goes up into the 
rivers and arms of the sea. Oftentimes basse of 
considerable size are taken in Boston harbor. I saw 
in Boston market, on the 26th of July, 1837, a spe- 
cimen 3 feet and 10 inches long, weighing 36 pounds, 
which was taken from one of the bridges leading 
out of the city. The flesh of this species, partic- 
ularly of the larger ones, is rather coarse, but meets 
with a ready sale in a fresh state: in 1836, a small 
number of barrels, (sixty-seven,) were packed and 
inspected. 
The upper part of the body is silvery brown: 
lower part of sides and abdomen a beautiful clear 
silver color; eight or more longitudinal black bands 
on each side, commencing just back of opercula; the 
upper bands running the whole length of the fish, 
the inferior ones terminating directly above the anal 
fin. Length of head to length of entire fish as 1 
to 5. Head covered with scales throughout its 
whole extent, save the frontal and suborbitar bones. 
Eyes moderate in size, pupils black, irides golden: 
diameter of eye, equal to about half the distance 
between eyes.  Opercula in portions, cupreous. 
Teeth in jaws numerous, teeth also upon palatine 
bones: tongue rough. Lower jaw the longer. Nos- 
trils double ; the posterior larger. Preoperculum, at 
its posterior margin, finely serrated throughout its 
whole length ; at its inferior margin, denticulated. 
Operculum, at its posterior margin, furnished with 
two spines, the lower of which is the larger. Lat- 
eral line very distinct, arising above the superior 
