166 AMERICAN ANGLER'S BOOK. 



the Sprat, the various Herrings, and the Shad. The Anchovy 

 Engraulis encrasicholus, is a small fish, a few inches in length, 

 distributed throughout Europe, and especially abundant in 

 various parts of the Mediterranean. It is distinguished, as a 

 genus, by the projecting and pointed upper jaw, and the long 

 anal. The top of the head and back is blue ; irides, sides, and 

 belly, silvery white. This fish was well known to the ancient 

 Greeks and Eomans, who prepared from it a sauce called 

 garum, held in great favor. They are taken in countless 

 numbers on the coast of Sardinia, 400,000 having been 

 caught at a single haul. The fishing is highly successful by 

 night, when the Anchovies are readily attracted by the glare 

 of fire-pans. In preparing them for purposes of commerce, 

 the head and viscera must be removed; the former being 

 bitter, and for this reason called Encrasicholus by Aristotle. 

 The Anchovies, after being washed clean, are plaeed with the 

 belly upwards in vessels, a layer of fish alternating with one 

 of salt, until the whole is full. ■ Pressure must be exerted to 

 drive out the oil as much as possible. A hole is left in the 

 top of the vessel, which is then exposed to the sun. After 

 fermentation has commenced, the hole is stopped up, and the 

 vessel removed to a storehouse. The operation is not com- 

 pleted until the following year. The Anchovy is taken from 

 December to May. 



" The Clupeidse, with non-projecting upper jaws, are divided 

 into various genera, as Glupea, Sardinella, Harengula, Pellona, 

 Meletta, Ahsa, and others. A distinction was formerly made 

 between a genus Ahsa, characterized by an emargination of 

 the upper jaw, and Glupea, with the border of the jaw con- 

 tinuous or entire. This division, however, has been found 

 to be inadequate to the wants of the present system. 



"Ahsa vulgaris, a European species, is represented in 

 America by one of much finer flavor, the A. sapidissima, or 



