SALMONID^E. 121 



Genus II — Osmerus, Artedi. 



Branchiostegals seven or eight : pseudobranchice rudimentary. Body somewhat 

 elongated. Cleft of mouth deep. The maxilla almost extending to beneath the hind 

 edge of the orbit. Teeth in upper jaws smaller than those in the lower, in a transverse 

 band across the vomer, some being fang-like, also strong ones along the palatine and 

 pterygoid bones. Large fang-like teeth anteriorly on the tongue and posteriorly 

 smaller ones. Scales of moderate size. Pyloric appendages few and short. Ova small. 



In Newfoundland, 0. viridescens ascends the smaller streams in thousands as 

 the ice disappears (Saxby, Zool. 1871, p. 2553). A nearly allied genus, Thaleich- 

 thys, exists on the Pacific coast of North America, and so full of oil are they that 

 their common name is candle-fish, or oolachan, as after having been sun dried they 

 can be lighted, and will burn with a spluttering flame to the end (Angler's 

 Note-book, p. 124). An oil, reputed to be medicinal, has been introduced into 

 this country under the head of Oolachan oil, and is scarcely distinguishable from 

 cod-liver oil (Nature, May 12th, 1881). 



Geographical distribution. — Atlantic coasts of temperate and northern portions 

 of Europe and North America, ascending rivers to spawn and frequently becoming 

 resident there. One species from California. 



Its growth is said to be frequently much retarded when passing from a marine 

 to a fresh- water existence, in some parts of northern Europe it is acclimatized 

 where there is no available outlet to the ocean. 



Osmerus eperlanus, Plate CXXI, fig. 1. 



Eperlanus, Belon. De Aquat. p. 288 ; Rondel, ii. 196 ; Aldrov. iv, c. 12, p. 536 ; 

 Jonston, ii, c. 2, t. xxiv, f . 3 ; Will. p. 202, t. N. 6, f. 4 ; Ray, p. 66. Spirinchus, 

 Jonston, t. xlvii, f. 6 ; Schonev. p. 70, t. vii. Osmerus, No. 1, Artedi, Gen. p. 10, 

 Synon. p. 21, and Spec. p. 45. Salmo, sp. Gronov. Zooph. No. 373. Eperlanus 

 Schonfoldii, Rutty, Nat. Hist. Dublin, i, p. 358. Trutta, sp. Klein, Pise. Miss, v, 

 p. 20, no. 12, t. iv, f. 2-4. Smelt, Pennant, Brit. Zool. (Ed. 1776), iii, p. 313. pi. 

 lxxi (Ed. 1812), iii, p. 416, pi. lxxii. Salmo eperlanus var. marinus, Walb. Artedi, 

 iii, p. 57. 



Salmo eperlanus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 511; Bloch, i, p. 176, t. xxviii, f. 2; 

 Gmel. Linn. p. 1375 ; Bonnaterre, Ency. Ich. p. 164, pi. lxviii, fig. 276 ; Bl. Schn. 

 p. 410; Donovan, Brit. Fish, ii, pi. xlviii; Turton, Brit. Faun. p. 104; Pallas, 

 Zoo. Ros.-As. iii, p. 386 ; Gronov. ed. Gray, p. 152. 



Salmo eperlano-marinus, Bl. i, p. 128, t. xxviii, f. 1. 



Osmerus eperlanus, Lacep. v, pp. 229, 231 ; Richardson, Faun. Bor.-Amer. iii, 

 p. 185 ; Flem. Brit. Anim. p. 181 ; Ekstr. Vet. Akad. Handl. 1834, p. 7 and 

 Fische v. M'irko, p. 191 ; Jenyns, Man. p. 429 ; Yarrell, Brit. Fish. (ed. 1) ii, p. 

 75, c. fig. (ed. 2) ii, p. 129 (ed. 3) i. p. 295 ; Cuv. and Val. xxi, p. 371, pi. 620 

 Parnell, Wern. Mem. vii, p. 312 and Fish. Firth of Forth, p. 152 ; Johnston 

 Berwick. Nat. Club, 1838, i, p. 173 ; Nilss. Skand. Fauna, p. 433 ; Kroyer, Danm 

 Fisk. iii, p. 1; Cuv. and Val. xxi, p. 371, pi. 620; Siebold, Siisswas. p. 271 

 White, Catal. p. 7\) ; Schlegel, Dieren van Neder. p. 131 ; Thompson, Nat. Hist 

 Ireland, iv, p. 167 ; Malm. Wiegm. Arch. 1864, p. 339 and Fauna, p. 549 

 Giinther, Catal. vi, p. 166; Mcintosh, Fish. St. Andrews, p. 181; Blanchard 

 Poiss. France, p. 441, fig. cxiv ; Winther, Ich. Dan. Mar. p. 44; Houghton, Brit 

 Freshwater Fishes, p. 161, c. fig. ; Collett, Norges Fiske, p. 162 ; Feddersen 

 Danske F. Fiske, p. 78 ; Moreau, Poiss. France, iii, p. 541. 



Salmo (Osmerus) spirinchus, Pall. Zoogr. Ross. -As. iii. p. 387. 



Eperlanus vulgaris, Gaim. Voy. Isl. and Grcenl. Poiss. pi. xviii, f. 2. 



Osmerus sjiirinchus, Cuv. and Val. xxi, p. 387. 



