The optical spectrum of scattered laser radiation from laser‐produced plasmas has been measured between half and twice the incident laser frequency &ohgr;0. Three spectral bands have been found, two of which straddle the 3&ohgr;0/2 spectrum. The third band is located near &ohgr;0/2. These observations can be successfully interpreted in terms of a model in which there is enhanced Thomson scattering into the ‘‘electron line.’’ This enhancement is due to fast electrons creating a local bump‐on‐tail instability [Phys. Rev. Lett.53, 1912 (1984)]. An alternative interpretation in terms of the conventional stimulated Raman scattering and associated anti‐Stokes radiation is inconsistent with our observations.