86 



darker tint, with five blackish bands, transversely covered with a slimy 

 secretion ; scales, large and pectinated ; gill openings, very wide ; gape, small ; 

 teeth, microscopic, and densely set ; branchiostegal rays, five. No swim- 

 bladder ; dorsal fins, two in number, large, the first having simple flexible rays ; 

 ventrals, distinct, sub-pectoral ; anal fin opposite to second dorsal ; the fins all 

 banded with black. Fin rays (1st D.) 7, (2nd D.) 10, (P.) 13, (V.) 5, 

 imperfectly developed, (A.) 10, (C.) 15 or 16. 



The Silver-fish again belongs to the Malacopterygii abdominales, or fishes 

 having soft fin rays, with the ventral fins placed beneath the abdomen. In its 

 bright silvery colour, it possesses a superficial likeness to the Whitebait, it has, 

 however, no affinity with it. 



Everyone will recognize the likeness to the true English Smelt, Osmerus 

 Uperlavms, both in appearance, and in its remarkable smell, when freshly 

 removed from the water, likened, by some to cucumbers, by others to violets ; 

 but although it belongs to the same family, the Salmonida?, it is not a Smelt, as 

 the position of the first dorsal fin indicates, which in the Smelt is situated over 

 the ventrals. The second dorsal adipose, the well-marked cycloid scales, refer 

 the Silver-fish to the Salrnonidse, but to what genus of this numerous and 

 difficult family it belongs, I am quite unable to decide ; it has the following 

 characters : 



Two dorsal fins, the second adipose and destitute of rays, colour, grey 

 with a silvery band down the sides ; belly, white ; teeth, small and numerous ; 

 branchiostegal rays seven ; anal fin slightly in advance of second dorsal. 



Fin rays, (P.) 10, (V.) 6, (1st D.) 11, (A.) 17-18, (C.) 18. 



We now come to the iast fish on our list, called, by boys, the Smelt ; but 

 why a Smelt, I know not. And now, even on a superficial examination, 

 we perceive an affinity to the Whitebait, in the absence of scales like the 

 Whitebait ; the Smelt is a Galaxia, soft fin rays abdominal, ventrals, a single 

 dorsal, no scales, and the dorsal destitute of a spine. It has a yellowish-brown 

 colour, dotted with black spots, which are especially numerous in the 

 neighbourhood of the lateral line ; 1 st rib of the anal fin opposite to the third 

 dorsal, and very near the caudal fin ; ventrals, half way between gill covers 

 and origin of caudal fin. 



Fin rays, (P.) 9 or 10, (V.) 7, (D.) 9, (A.) 15 or 16, (C.) 16. 



We will now institute a comparison between the Whitebait and the Smelt. 



The fishes from which these notes were taken, were obtained on different 

 occasions, and the characters noted down separately. I have arranged the 

 specific characters in parallel columns, and will give them, seriatim : 



WHITEBAIT. 



Scaleless. 

 One dorsal fin. 



"Ventrals, one-third length of 

 body behind pectorals. 



First ribs of dorsal and anal fins 

 on a line, one-third length of body 

 from origin of caudal fin. 

 Fin rays. 

 P. 11 

 V. 7 

 D. 10 

 A. 16 

 C. 16 



SMELT. 



Scaleless. 



One dorsal fin. 



Ventrals, midway between gill 

 covers and origin of caudal fin. 



First anal rib about opposite to 

 third dorsal and near caudal fin. 



Fin rays. 



P. 9 or 10 



V. 7 



D. 9 



A. 15 or 16 



C. 16 



There is a slight disci*epancy in the proportions, but in no respect more 

 than would be expected between a young and an adult fish : the number of 



