TION. 



464 SHAD HERRING. Class IV. 



but commonly there are three or four, placed 

 one under the other.* 

 Descrip- The other particulars agree in each so exactly, 

 that the same description will serve for both. 



The head slopes down considerably from the 

 back, which, at the beginning, is very convex, 

 and rather sharp ; the body from thence grows 

 gradually less to the tail; the under jaw is 

 rather longer than the upper ; the teeth very 

 minute ; the dorsal fin is placed very near the 

 centre, is small, and the middle rays are the 

 longest; the pectoral and ventral fins are small; 

 the tail vastly forked ; the belly extremely sharp, 

 and most strongly serrated ; the back is of a 

 dusky blue; above the gills begins a line of 

 dark spots, which mark the upper part of the 

 back on each side ; the number of these spots 

 is uncertain in different fish, from four to ten. 



* I must here acknowledge my obligations to Doctor Lysons^ 

 of Gloucester, for his communications relating to this fish, as well 

 as to several other articles relating to those of the Severn. 



