2 BULLETIN 908, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



leus), closely resembling the French species, is canned on the Pacific 

 coast of the United States, while the immature sea herring (Clupea 

 harengus) is put up on the eastern coast as the Maine sardine. 



The Bureau of Fisheries of the United States Department of 

 Commerce states that the herring may be distinguished readily 

 from the pilchard before it is cleaned and canned, the following 

 points of difference being submitted: 



Fig. 1.— The herring. 



The lower jaw of the herring (figure I s ; projects a little beyond the tip of the 

 snout when the mouth is closed; the gill covers are smooth; the fish is more or less 

 compressed from side to side; and the belly rather sharp-edged. If the fish were 

 cut in two, crosswise, the cross section would be somewhat egg-shaped. The fin on 

 the back is situated nearer the base of the tail than the tip of the snout. The scales 

 are comparatively small and have rounded edges. When the scales are removed 

 no series of dusky spots is observable. 



Fig. 2.— The pilchard. 



The lower jaw of the pilchard (figure 2) projects but slightly, if at all, beyond 

 the tip of the snout when the mouth is closed. Sharply-defined, fine ridges run down- 

 ward and backward across the gill cover. The fish is more cylindrical than the herring, 

 and a cross section would present a circular rather than an oval outline. The fin 

 on the back is situated nearer the tip of the snout than the base of the tail. The 

 scales are comparatively large, twice as large as those of the herring, and show a more 

 or less angular outline of the edge. When the scales are removed a series of several 

 dusky spots along the side of the front part of the body is usually plainly discernible. 



To open a can of sardines of unknown origin and attempt to determine whether 

 the fish is a herring or a pilchard presents a greater difficulty. Since the heads of 

 both kinds are removed in the canning process, the jaw and gill cover characteristics 

 can not be observed. The scales of both fish are easily detached and may not be 

 present in the can. Trie absence of the head prevents ascertaining the position of 

 the back fin in relation to the tip of the snout. 



