594 SAL 
is single, containing very small yellow eggs, but so delicate 
that it is impossible to count them. The peritonaeum is 
silver-coloured with black dots. The vertebrae are 59; the 
ribs 35 on each side. 
The variety called by Bloch the sea-smelt, resembles the 
above in its outward form, transparency, and the number of 
rays in the fins; but differs in the following particulars: 
1. In the size and thickness of the body; for this is a giant 
compared to the other: the common smelt is from three to 
five inches long; this is ten or twelve. In England they 
are sometimes thirteen inches long, and weigh half a pound. 
Narborough saw some in the straits of Magellan twenty 
inches long, and eight round. 2. In their haunts; the 
first living in fresh water, the latter in salt. 3. By the smell, 
which is not so strong in the large, as in the small one. But 
here it may be remarked, that there is no disputing smells, 
(or giving a general rule for them,) any more than tastes; for 
Linnaeus says the odour of this fish is like that of a dung-hill ; 
while Pennant and others compare it to the smell of a violet. 
It inhabits the depths of the Northern and Baltic Seas, 
whence it comes out in November, December, and January, 
and shews itself near the shores. In England, according to 
Pennant, they come into the rivers at that time; but only a 
few together. But in spawning time, which takes place in 
March, they go thither in great shoals to deposit their spawn 
on the stones. At that time they are caught in abundance, 
especially in Prussia, where they dry them in the air, as they 
do the common smelt, and send them to Poland in casks. 
They are plentiful also at the mouth of the Elbe; and, as 
the Hamburgh fishermen cannot sell all they take, they salt 
them, and send them into the neighbouring provinces. This 
species is natural to the northern countries; and is not found 
in the Mediterranean. 
This fish is greatly tormented by a worm called gorclius 
harengum. Commonly they are in the upper part of the 
back; sometimes half out, sometimes quite buried in the 
skin. The worm may be seen, however, in any situation ; 
for, as the fish is transparent, and the worm is not, you need 
only hold the fish to the light in order to discern his tormentor. 
These worms will live after the fish has been dead several 
days. In the stomach of this fish, Bloch found a smelt of 
the same kind, about four inches long. The intestinal canal 
begins near the upper aperture of the stomach, and continues 
in a right line to the anus. 
32. Salmo saurus, or the sea-lizard.—-Specific Character. 
12 rays in the dorsal fin, 11 in the anal. The pectoral fins 
have 12 ray's, the ventrals 8, the anal 11, the tail 18, and 
the dorsal 12. Gmelin makes the specific character, 10 rays 
in the anal fin, but Artedius says 11, and is followed by 
Bloch and Cepede. 
The head is narrow, flat at top, tapering off to a point. 
The aperture of the mouth is very wide; the jaws are of 
equal length, and strongly armed. The nostrils are single, 
and near the eyes. The eyes are near the top of the 
head; the pupil is black, iris blue and white ; near the 
eyes, just above them, there is a hole. The gill-coverts 
are furnished with scales, and the aperture is wide. The 
body is oblong, fleshy, and covered with thin scales. 
The lateral line takes a direction along the middle of the 
body ; and the anus is nearer the tail, which is forked, than 
the head. The back and belly are round. The rays of the 
fins are four-branched, except those of the ventrals, which 
are bifurcated only. The back is green, inclining to black; 
the belly white, with blue, brown, and green spots. This 
mixture of colours, and its sharp snout, have gained it the 
name of lizard. The flesh is lean, easy of digestion, but not 
very delicate ; it is commonly eaten fried. 
This fish inhabits the waters of the Antilles, the Red Sea, 
and the Miditerranean, but is not common in the latter, 
according to Willughby and Seba. It grows about a foot 
long, and is very voracious. 
• 33. Salmo foetens, or the slender salmon.—Specific Cha¬ 
racter. The head truncated and furnished with scales; mem¬ 
brane of the gills, pectoral and dorsal fins, with 12 rays 
each; the ventrals 8, the-anal 16, the tail 25. 
M 0. 
The head is compressed, half covered with scales, long 
at the side?, short above, and declining. The aperture of the 
mouth is large; the jaws, palate, and tongue, are provided 
with a double row of teeth; the lower jaw is the longest. 
The nostrils are round, single, and near the eyes; the pupil is 
black, the iris red ; the upper rim of the orbit of the eye is 
protruded and dentated; and the eyes are near the top of the 
head; and hence there is a furrow formed by these project¬ 
ing rims; behind this furrow the head is rough and radiated. 
The aperture of the gills is wide, and the membrane is loose. 
The sides are compressed, the back and belly round. The 
lateral line divides the body; the anus is somewhat nearer 
the tail, which is forked, than the head. The pectoral fins 
are short; the anal long; all have flexible and branched 
rays. The back is blackish, the sides and belly silvery, the 
fins of a reddish brown. Inhabits the sea near Carolina; 
but is a rare species. In many respects it resembles the pre¬ 
ceding; and it has been necessary to remove it from the 
fourth division, on account of the number of rays in the 
membrane of the gills. 
III.—Teeth hardly visible, or none. 
34. Salmo migratorius, or the travelling salmon.—Specific 
Character. Jaws nearly equal, 12 rays in the dorsal fin. The 
membrane of the gills has 9 rays, the ventrals 12, the pec¬ 
torals 17, the anal 13, and the tail 20. 
The eggs of this are yellow, and very good to eat. The 
species inhabits the lake Baikal, in Siberia, from which it 
goes into the rivers that empty themselves into it, for the 
purpose of spawning. It is from fourteen inches to two 
feet long; body a little compressed, silvery, above grey. 
Head compressed; iris saffron ; mouth without teeth; snout 
sub-conic; upper fins grey, lower, reddish white. 
35. Salmo lavaretus, or the gwiniad.—The upper jaw 
longest, and resembling a nose. There are 8 or 9 rays in the 
membrane of the gills, 15 in the pectoral fins, 12 in the 
ventral, 14 in the anal, 20 in the tail, and 14 or 15 in the 
dorsal. 
The head is small in proportion to the body, which is long 
and thick; it is wedge shaped, and nearly transparent as far 
as the eyes. The upper jaw, which protrudes, ends in a 
blunt point, soft and fleshy, of a black colour; and, when 
the mouth is shut, it is entirely covered by a large gristly 
lip. The mouth is small, toothless, and opens backwards 
below; the tongue is white, gristly, short, and somewhat 
rough. The eye is middle-sized ; pupil black, iris silvery. 
The cheeks, as well as the covering of the gills, are varied 
from blue to yellow; but the latter colour predominates. 
The back is round, and of a greyish blue. The sides, as far 
as the lateral line, are blueish ; below it they are little yellow. 
The belly is silvery. The lateral line is straight, has forty- 
five dots, and is nearer the back than the belly. The scales 
have a small furrow near the edge, which is particularly vi- 
s.ble in those upon the lateral line. The pectoral fins are 
yellowish ; the others have white rays, a blue membrane, 
and a border of the same colour. The dorsal fin is nearer 
the tail than the head; the. adipous fin is lozenge-shaped ; 
the tail forked. 
The gwiniad is found in the North and Baltic Seas, and 
in all the rivers of Russia and Siberia. It keeps in general 
at the bottom ; but rises when the herring begins to spawn, 
which it follows close to devour the eggs; so that, if a quan¬ 
tity of herrings are taken in one haul, the fishermen generally 
catch twenty, thirty, or forty gwiniads the next; and, if they 
are opened at that time, the intestinal canal is found full of 
the ova of the herring. In like manner the grayling makes 
reprisals on the gwiniad, whom he follows in spawning¬ 
time, and devours her eggs. 
The gwiniad spawns from August till October; at which 
time they are found plentifully in bays, creeks, and at the 
mouths of streams, which fall with the greatest rapidity into 
the sea. The female, followed by the male, rubs herself 
against stones and flints to ease herself of her ova. Part of 
these fish ascend the streams, advancing in two rows, which 
form .an acute angle; at the extremity of the angle is one 
who 
