290 
BLUEFIELDS. 
charms are not confined to mere richness and variety 
of colour. In this little Clupea a singular effect is 
produced by the sides being marked with narrow lon- 
gitudinal bands, not of colour, but produced by a 
slight difference in the mode in which the pearly 
light is reffected. In the “ Herring ” a species of 
the same Family, but belonging to a genus [Chat- 
oessus) marked by the last ray of the dorsal being, 
prolonged into a whip-like filament, the back is steel- 
blue, the sides and belly silvery, with longitudinal 
lines highly polished ; the whole fish appearing as if 
made in metal.* 
The Jacks, too, just named, are remarkable for the 
brilliant opaline reflections, which their bodies pre- 
sent, quite distinct from their permanent colours. 
The reflected hues are principally flushes of purple on 
the back, and of flame-colour on the sides. These 
bold and voracious fishes are members of the great 
Mackarel family : they are distinguished as Buntung 
Jack, Round-headed, or Ground Jack, and Cavally 
* This seems to be new. Chatoessus eumorphus, mihi. The Elegant 
Bristle-herring. Form very gracefully spindle-shaped; outlines of 
back and belly uniformly arched from muzzle to caudal ; belly-line 
more curved than that of the back. Height barely one-fourth of total 
length (reckoned to the fork of caudal) : head (from muzzle to gill 
aperture), to total length, as 1 to 5\. Mouth very small, sub-vertical. 
Dorsal triangular, pointed, hollowed ; filament reaching to base of 
caudal : pectorals small, pointed : ventrals minute ; anal very low, of 
equal height all along ; caudal deeply forked, with the lobes acutely 
pointed. Belly scarcely serrate. Length seven and a half inches. 
The colour is described in the text. Irides silvery. 
This species differs considerably in form from Ch. cepedianus, the 
oi^y occidental one mentioned by Cuv. and Val. ; it approaches C. 
nasus of the Indian Ocean, but is distinguished from it by the longi- 
tudinal lines, and also by its proportions. 
