Smelt, a soft-rayed fish of the salmon family, and genus osmerus (Artedi). The body is elongated and covered with small scales; there are two dorsals, the first with rays and the second adipose and rayless; ventrals under the anterior rays of dorsal; teeth on the jaws and tongue very long, and on the premaxilla-ries small and hooked; gill openings wide; air bladder silvery within. The common American smelt (0. viridescena, Les.) is about. 10 in. long; the upper parts with the dorsal and caudal fins are yellowish green with coppery reflections, with very minute black dots; sides silvery white; abdomen and lower fins milky white; gill covers golden. It is found from New York to Labrador, going up rivers in early spring and returning to the sea late in autumn, at which times immense quantities are taken by hook and nets; the flavor is very delicate. They bear transfer from salt into fresh water, and have become permanent residents in Champlain, Squam, and Winnipiseogee lake3, and in Jamaica pond near Boston; these are smaller and more slender than the marine smelt. The European smelt (0. eperlanus, Art.) is from 7 to 9 in. long, lighter colored above, with thicker body and narrower head.

They are found in all the rivers opening into northern seas; they are the eperlans of the French and the spirling or sparling of the English; when recently taken from the water, they have a sweetish, not disagreeable, and cucumber-like odor, from which the generic and the common names are derived. Smelts eat small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.

American Smelt (Osmerus viridescens).