l64 



PILCHARD. 



Clupea Pilchardus. C. argenfeaj dorso suhfusco, squamis magm^ 

 arete hijixis. 



Silvery Herring, with dusky back, and large, strongly adhereni 

 scales. 



Pilchard. Will, ichth. p. 223. Pern, Brit. ZooL 

 Clupea Pilchardus. Block, t. AOQ. 



The Pilchard is very nearly allied in general 

 appearance to the Herring, but is of a somewhat 

 thicker or less compressed form, with the back 

 more elevated and the belly less sharp ; the nose 

 rather shorter in proportion and turning upwards, 

 and the under jaw shorter : the scales are consider- 

 ably larger than in the Herring, and are pretty 

 strongly fixed; those of the Herring on the contrary 

 being very easil}^ displaced. A still more remark- 

 able difference consists in the situation of the dorsal 

 fin, which is placed exactly in the centre of gravity, 

 so that when the fish is taken up by it the body 

 preserves an equilibrium ; whereas if the Herring 

 be taken up by the same part the head will be 

 observed to dip considerably : to these difierences 

 it may be added that the Pilchard is in general of 

 inferior size to the Herring, and rarely measures 

 more than about eight inches in length : its colour 

 is bright silvery, with a green or blueish cast on 

 the upper parts. It is a fish which seems to have 

 escaped the notice of many ichthyologists, by whom 

 it has been confounded with the Herring, or at 

 most considered a yariety of that species. Its 



