re 
Fishes of Massachusetts. 407 
those portions of the State where it is found. The 
specimen before me I received from Worcester 
county. The following are its characters : 
Entire length of the specimen, six inches two 
lines; depth of the head, half an inch; depth of 
the body across from the origin of the dorsal fin, 
one inch one line. Body elongated, but very 
slightly arched over the neck, and at the dorsal 
fin. Whole surface of the body, silvery; rather 
darker upon the back; head above, bluish ; opercu- 
lum cupreous; preoperculum rather inclined to a 
flesh color; exterior to the operculum, a narrow 
dark band encircles the head, from the base of the 
pectorals, separating the head from the body. Scales 
on the body moderate in size,—nine, in an oblique 
line, from the origin of the dorsal to the lateral 
line; and four in an oblique line beneath. En- 
tire head destitute of scales; head above, flattened ; 
diameter of the eye, one quarter of an inch ; distance 
between the eyes, half an inch. Nostrils double ; 
the anterior, circular; the posterior, oblique and 
larger. Jaws toothless ; upper jaw the longer. The 
lateral line commences on the side of the snout, 
and passing back under the eyes, and up over the 
posterior angle of the gill-covers, curves downwards 
for the extent of eight scales, to opposite the middle 
of the pectorals, and then pursues a "we: course 
to the caudal rays. 
The Dorsal fin commences upon the anterior half 
of the body, including the tail; rays higher than 
long, color of the back; the first ray half as high 
as the second. 
