216 
OSMERUS. 
Fobm of the body lengthened, without spots. Two ranges of 
separated teeth in each palatine bone; only a few in front on the 
vomer Eight rays in the gill membrane. The ventral fins opposite 
the anterior edge of the dorsal. 
SMELT. 
SPIELING. 
Smelt, Eperlcmus Eondeletii, WiLLonoHUT; p. 202, table N. 6. 
Eperlanus, 
Osinerus eperlanus, 
JONSTON. 
Linn.bus. Cuvier. 
Fleming; Br. Animals, p. 181. 
Jentns; Manual, p. 429. 
Yarreil; Br. Fishes, vol. ii, p, 129. 
Bloch; pi. 28. Donovan; pi. 48. 
This fish should be distinguished from the Atherine, which 
ill some parts of the kingdom bears the same name, and on 
a casual view might be mistaken for it; but, among other 
marks, the existence of an adipose fin on the back, in place 
of a larger second dorsal with rays, will readily distinguish 
It has been supposed that the name ot Smelt was given 
fiom a particular and agreeable odour that is perceptible when 
the fish is newly taken from the water; but the true meaning 
of the word IS assigned by Jouston, and it is the same with 
that which is used to signify the melting of metals (smelting) 
from die mine, its derivation being from the appearance of 
transparency of the substances of this fish, as if it had a 
tendency to melt away. The French name, Eperlan, employed 
by Eondeletuis, to which he gave a Latin termination, and 
from which perhaps we obtain our other English designation 
