12 GILPIN — ON THE FOOD FISHES OF NOVA SCOTIA, 



Tvard, the gill rays are entirely covered by the lower edge of the operele, 

 and the upper labials concealed within the jaw. Very minute teetli 

 wpon upper and lower labials, and in this specimen on palatine arch, 

 though wanting in others. 



The shape of the fish is long for its breadth, and very round, tapering 

 gi'adually to the root of a very small deeply cleft tail. Two dorsal fins, 

 the rays of the first hard, and five finlets, adorn the back. The pectoral 

 fins commencing one-third of an inch from opercle, and ventral opposite 

 posterior edge of pectoral, anal opposite anterior insertion of second 

 dorsal, with sharp ray or prick in front, and fine finlets below. Two 

 fleshy keel-like processes nearly parellel, are on either side of the root of 

 the tail. Both caudal and all the fins are very small for the size of the 

 body. Colour — lop of head and ridge along the back, dark blue ; sides, 

 to an inch below the lateral line, when just from the wa-ter a deep green 

 with about 27 to 30 deep blue horizontal zig-zag bars or stripes from 

 opercles to tail ; a little below the lateral line a number of indefinite 

 dark spots or lines, extending from pectoral fin nearly to tail, below 

 yellowish white, with opalescent reflections ; tips of both jaws black, 

 tongue and inside mouth black, cheeks green above, yellowish white 

 below, with pink and opal reflections, and covered with numerous 

 purple spots ; sides silvery ; fins, dorsals and finlets dusky, rays showing 

 black ; caudal greenish dusky, base and tips dark ; pectoral dusky, base 

 dark ; ventral tips dusky with reddish tinge ; anal white with a reddish 

 tinge ; and finlets below white. These colours are very fleeting, the green 

 turning to blue on the sides very soon ; scales very minute, gill-i'ay 5, 

 D. 11, 2nd 11, P. 17 or 18, V. 7, A. 10 or 11, C. not counted ; finlets V. 

 above and below.* 



In studying this fish, we have a very large round body, a thin 

 and compressed head, labials and gill-rays compressed and covered, 

 and we are impressed with a certain inflexibility or stiffness in him. 

 He is evidently formed to give little opposition in passing throngh 

 the water, but the propelling power, the tail and fins, is very small. 

 It is doubtful if the sharp anterior dorsal is not used for defence, as 

 unless excited the fish usually carries it flat. He cannot be called 

 a swift fish. Like all gregarious fish which feed in large numbers, 

 the food must be ready spread in quantities for their use. Thus no 

 individual instinct is called out in each fish to pursue or capture its 

 prey. Moving in large masses also, the whole must blindly follow 

 a few leaders. We are not disappointed then if we find our fish 

 low in the order of intelligence, if we find in his pouty and greedy 

 mouth a certain resemblance to the batrachians or frogs. His as- 

 serted torpidity during winter, and blindness, both "SA-hich conditions 



*A very rare variety is found perhaps two or three times diirin,!?. the season at 

 Halifax These have tlic zig-zaj^ bars one-half tlie size and double the number. 

 In son e tlie bars are reduced down almost to lines and spots, and resemble a 

 figured yariety in Couch's British Fishes, 18G5. 



