914 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
Salmo immaculatus ( Blankesten ), Mull., Zool. Dan. Prodr., 
p. 279, vide StrAm, Skr. Naturh. Selsk., Bd. 2, H. 2 (1793), 
p. 12, tab. I, fig. 1. 
Situs Ascanii, Reinh., Maanedskr. Literat. Kbhvn 1833, p. 239. 
Argentina syrtensium , Br. Goode, Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 
vol. I (1878), p. 261; vide Gthr, Deep Sea Fish., Chall. 
Exped., p. 217. 
Obs. In the preceding- pages (see above, p. 59) we have em- 
ployed the name of Blanlcesten, which StrAm first applied (in Sond- 
mores Beskrivelse ) to a fish of the genus Sparus, as a synonym of 
Fldckpagell (the Common Sea-Bream), following 0. F. Muller and 
Brunnjch. But as StrAm has subsequently come to the conclusion 
that the former name properly belongs to the species now in point, 
it is best omitted in the said passage, especially as its application in 
Norway seems to be vague. 
The Greater Siil-Smelt attains a length of nearly 
half a metre". The body is elongated and fairly thick, 
the greatest depth, which occurs at the beginning of 
the dorsal lin, being in adult specimens about 18 % of 
the length, and the greatest thickness about 2 / 3 b of the 
greatest depth, or slightly greater than the postorbital 
length of the head. The dorsal and ventral contours 
form about equal curves. They meet in a point at 
the tip of the snout, and converge behind till, in front 
of the caudal tin, the least depth of the body measures 
about 6 1 3 % of its length or '/ 3 of the length of the 
head reduced. In transverse section the body forms, 
according to its degree of distension, a more or less 
regular rectangle, the back and the belly being broad, 
the former more so, and flatly convex or even flat, 
and the sides more or less compressed. A further 
characteristic, which we have already mentioned, are 
several longitudinal, low ridges. Two of these run, 
parallel in front, converging on the tail, on each side 
of the dorsal margin and on the uppermost part of the 
sides, the lower starting from the upper angle of the 
operculum; two corresponding ridges follow each side 
of the ventral margin and the loAvest part of the sides, 
the upper starting from the pectoral fins, the lower 
from the ventrals; one ridge is formed by the lateral 
line; and the median line of the dorsal margin between 
the dorsal and adipose flns, as well as of the ventral 
margin between the ventral tins and the anal aperture, 
rises in a similar ridge. 
The head forms a four-sided wedge, but is so 
contracted below as strongly to remind us of that of 
the Capelin. Its upper and lower surfaces converge for- 
wards to the shallow, but rather broad tip of the snout, 
which is rounded in an horizontal direction. Its sides 
are flat, even the upper, the interorbital part of which 
is depressed between the somewhat tumid supraorbital 
parts; and at the articulations of the lower jaw a break 
is formed when the mouth is closed, the upward slope 
of the lower jaw being somewhat sharper than the 
downward slope of the snout. A thick adipose mem- 
brane with numerous ducts and pores is spread from 
the occiput and forehead down over the operculum, 
the preoperculum, and the suborbital bones, and for- 
ward on the snout, surrounding the large orbits both 
in front and behind. The eyes occupy about 1 / 3 (33 
— 30 %), the postorbital part rather more than 2 / 5 
(42 — 46 %), and the snout about 29 — 30 %, of the 
length of the head. The nostrils lie about half-way 
between the tip of the snout and the eyes. The an- 
terior is round; the posterior, which is larger and more 
oblong, transversely set, is entirely covered by a semi- 
circular dermal flap from its anterior margin. The 
breadth of the snout at the nostrils is only slightly 
less than the i nter orbital width; but the breadth across 
the rostral protuberances (articular knobs of the ma- 
xillaries) is only about 1 / 2 — 2 / 3 thereof. The rostral 
protuberances are indistinct. The preoperculum is di- 
stinguished by its rectangular shape and its long arm, 
which runs in a forward direction, coasted by the nar- 
row interoperculum, which is of the same length. The 
operculum is trapezoidal, but its hind margin is sinuate. 
Its lower margin, which forms the fairly straight and 
obliquely ascending suture with the suboperculum, is 
almost equal in length to the diameter of the eye. The 
suboperculum is of uniform breadth and rounded at 
the lower posterior angle. The mouth is most like that 
of the Grayling, but the point of the lower jaw projects 
a little beyond the tip of the snout, and is furnished 
with a distinct, though small, symphyseal protuberance 
above and a small chin-protuberance below. The lips 
are not very fleshy. The curved anterior margin of 
the upper jaw is entirely formed, right across the mouth, 
by the narrow intermaxillaries, which are without nasal 
process, the upper jaw being thus incapable of protru- 
sion. The maxillaries are narrow in front, so far as 
they are covered by the intermaxillaries, but behind 
“ Sometimes 2 Sw. ft. (59 cm.), according to Nilsson. StrAm’s specimen was 43 cm. long; our largest specimen, which has lain 
for several years in spirits, has now shrunk to a length of about 47 cm,, but measured when caught 48 1 / 2 cm. according to Mr. C. A. 
Hansson; and the largest specimen Collett had seen was 47 cm. long, in each case to the extreme tip of the caudal fin. 
b According to Kroyer, however, sometimes hut slightly more than I / 2 - 
