392 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY - IV. 



der. Dnrs;il spines minute, much shorter tlian pupil. Caudal peduncle 

 longer than head. Head 4; depth 10. D. XXY-9; A. I, 9; V. I, 5. 

 Pacific coast, from Monterey northward; not rare. 



(<;ill. I'nir. Aead. Nat. Sci. Phila. iN'd, Hill: Aullncops spinescens Peters, Berlin Mo- 

 natsheriehr, Is;;!; Steind. Ichthyol. Bt-itr. v, 153.) 



FAMILY LXIV. GASTEROSTEIDvE. 



(The SticMebacks.) 



Body elongate, somewhat compressed, tapering behind to a slender 

 caudal peduncle. Head rather loag, tlic anterior part not produced into 

 a tube. Mouth moderate, with the cleft oblique, the lower jaw promi- 

 nent. Teeth sharp, even, in a narrow band in each jaw ; no teeth on 

 vomer or palatines. Premaxillaries protractile. Preorbital rather 

 broad; stiborbital plate large, often covering the anterior part of the 

 cheeks, forming a connection with the prcopercle. Branchiostegals 3. 

 Gill-membranes broadly joined, free from the isthmus, or not ; gill- rakers 

 moderate or rather long. Opercles unarmed. Skin naked or with ver- 

 tically oblong bony plates ; no true scales. Dorsal tin preceded by two 

 or more free spines; anal similar to soft dorsal, with a single spine; 

 ventral fins subabdominal, consisting of a stout spine and a rudimentary 

 ray. Middle or sides of belly shielded by the innominate hones. Pec- 

 torals short, unusually far behind the gill-openings, preceded by a 

 quadrate naked area, which is covered with shining skin. Caudal fin 

 narrow, usually lunate. Air-bladder simple ; a few pylorie en-ca. Gen- 

 era 3, GVf.s/m>.s7iw, Apcltcx, and Sjnnnchiit. Species about -0. Small 

 fishes inhabiting the fresh waters and arms of the sea in Northern 

 Kuropeand America; noted lor their pugnacity. They are exceedingly 

 destructive to the spawn and fry of larger fishes 



" It is scarcely to l>e conceived what damage these lit t le fishes do, and 

 how greatly detrimental they are to the increase of all the fishes among 

 which they live, lor it is with the utmost industry, sagacity, and greedi- 

 ne>s that they seek out and destroy all the young fry that come their 

 wax." ti'iiiiUirr.) Most of the Sticklebacks build elaborate nests which 

 the male fish defends with much spirit. 



( ( luxtt -mxtfiild <;ii nt IHT, i, 1-7.) 



n. Innominate hours joined, Coiinin^ a triangular or lanceolate |>l;Ue on the median 



line if t lie ahllomell ........................................ <;.\M IKiiM l.fS, 111.5. 



He'. Innominate hones widely separated, forming a hony rid^e on eaeli i-.ide, hel \veen 

 \\hieh are I he ventral I'M is ........................................ AIM a. us, I'.M. 



