194 ASCANIAN GYMNETRU#. 



about six inches : the head short, the mouth small a 

 and the eyes rather large : on the upper part of the 

 head, before the commencement of the dorsal fin, 

 were situated seven or eight upright, naked rays or 

 processes, of moderate length : the dorsal fin, which 

 was rather shallow, commenced at a small distance 

 beyond these, and running along the whole length 

 of the back, formed by its continuation the tail-fin, 

 which was carried to a very small distance beneath 

 the body, there being, properly speaking, no vent- 

 fin : the pectoral fins were very small, of a slightly 

 ovate or rounded shape, and situated at a small 

 distance from the head: the ventral fins, if they 

 can be said to deserve the name, consisted of a 

 pair of extremely long single rays or processes ter- 

 minated by a small ovate expanded tip or finny 

 extremity: the gill-covers appeared to consist of 

 five or six radiated laminae : the colour of the whole 

 body Avas bright silver, with a blueish cast diffused 

 pver the upper part of the back: the lateral line 

 was strongly marked, and ran from the gill-covers 

 to the tail, and the sides of the body were marked 

 by several longitudinal double rows of slightly ex- 

 tant, very small, dusky specks : the forehead was 

 white ; the fins pale brown. 



This fish is said to be generally seen either pre- 

 ceding or accompanying the shoals of herrings in 

 the northern seas, for which reason it is popularly 

 known by the title of King of the Herrings, 



