THE FRENCH SARDINE INDUSTRY. 
3 
The pilchard is a well-marked species, easily distinguished by prominent radiating 
lines on the operculum and by large scales, as well as by other features. In general 
shape it resembles the sea herring ( Clupea harengus Linnaeus), but is less elongated 
and compressed. The greatest depth of the body is about one-fourth the length, and 
the length of the head is somewhat greater than the depth of the body. The lower 
jaw projects slightly; the upper jaw extends to a point opposite the front third of the 
eye. No teeth are found on the vomer, palate, or tongue, and on the jaws the teeth 
are either small or absent. The dorsal fin contains 17 or 18 rays, and begins nearer 
to the end of snout than to the base of tail. The anal tin has 19 to 21 rays. The 
ventral fins begin under the middle of the dorsal base. There are about 30 scales in 
a longitudinal series between the gill-opening and the end of the body. The back of 
the fish is a deep olive green, the sides are silvery, and the belly is white. In the 
full-grown fish there is a small dark spot in the scapulary region. The normal 
length attained by the pilchard is 8 or 9 inches; the length of the largest recorded 
specimen was 11 inches (taken in Cornwall). 
The sardine of the French coast is a handsome little fish, whose beauty is not 
entirely lost in canning. In the water the back is of a greenish color, but out of the 
water the upper parts are rich dark-bluish, contrasting strongly with the silvery and 
white colors of the sides and abdomen. The scales are very easily detached, but their 
loss does not detract seriously from the appearance of the fish, either when fresh or 
canned, as the skin is rather thick and has a brilliant uniform silvery color. There are 
no evident spots on the sides in life, but after the scales are detached a few dark lateral 
spots may be seen. The back and belly are well rounded, being less compressed than 
in the young sea herring. 
Several American fishes resemble the pilchard, among them the sea herring and 
the California sardine. The former, which is extensively canned on the coast of 
Maine, may be distinguished from the pilchard by its more elongate form, by the 
more posterior origin of the dorsal fin, by the smaller and more numerous scales, by 
the presence of teeth on the vomer, by the much projecting lower jaw, by the smooth 
operculum, and by the much compressed abdomen. The California sardine is dis- 
tinguished from the pilchard in having a more elongate form, fewer dorsal rays, a 
somewhat longer maxillary, and a series of dark spots along the side. 
