Fishes of Massachusetts. 421 
Le Sueur described this species from a dried speci- 
men in the cabinet of the Linnean Society, which 
formerly existed in Boston; his description shows 
his specimen to have been an imperfect one. .I 
have seen no specimen in which the jaws were of 
equal lengih ; the lower jaw was undoubtedly broken 
in the specimen seen by Le Sueur, as is very apt 
to be the case in dried specimens of this genus, else 
he could not have called it “ equirostrum;" still as 
some naturalists think a specific name need not point 
out any particular character, and as I have no desire 
to detract from the labors of another, I shall point 
out here the characters as they exist in the recent 
specimen, and leave Le Sueur's name to be changed, 
should it ever be thought advisable, by some suc- 
ceeding ichthyologist. 
This fish makes its appearance at Cape Cod, 
usually, in the month of October, sometimes earlier 
and sometimes later, however, depending upon the 
season. It is taken in immense numbers by the 
inhabitants of some of the towns upon the Cape, 
and considered by them very nutritious and grateful 
food. 
From a fine specimen sent me by Dr. Yale, which 
was taken upon Nantucket Shoals, I have drawn up 
the following account: Entire length, ten inches; 
from the extremity of the lower jaw to the anterior 
angle of the eye, one and three quarterinches. Body 
quite thick, nearly of equal width and depth from the 
pectorals to the origin of the dorsal fin. Back, for 
the depth of a quarter of an inch, of an olive green 
color; directly beneath this, a silvery band half an 
