750 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



row ; upper preopercular spine more than four times as long as 

 the spine next below ; occipital ridges end in spines ; eye large ; 

 vertex flat ; a series of concealed plates along lateral line ; spinous 

 higher than soft dorsal ; no slit behind last gill. Dorsal rays, 

 IX 15; anal rays, 14. 



" This species does not appear to be abundant in our waters, 

 although met with along our whole extent of sea-board." 



O. aeneue, Mitch, (mitchilli, Gunth.) Grubby. Least Sculpin. 



Grayish olive, much variegated with darker, no paler spots ; 

 broad, dark bars on back and sides and fins ; belly pale ; head 

 broad ; preopercular spine about twice as long as next orys below. 

 Dorsal rays, IX 13 ; anal rays, 10 ; length, 6 inches. 



" This is a much more numerous species than the preceding." 



The following is a variety of this species : 



" Acanthocottus mitchilli. Sculpin. 



" Not as abundant as the preceding " (ceneus). 



Family AGO3TIDJE. 



Alligator-fishes. 



Body elongate, angular, with a coat of mail of eight rows of bony 

 plates ; head externally entirely bony ; eyes large, high up ; mouth 

 low, often with barbels ; teeth small, in villiform bands ; gills three 

 and one-half, no slit behind last ; pseudobranchs very large ; ventrals 

 thoracic (I, 2 or 3) ; spinous dorsal small ; caudal narrow ; no air- 

 bladder. Feed mainly on Crustacea. 



ASPIDOPHOROIDBS, Lac. 



(Cottus. Anoplagonus.) 



A. monopterygius, Bloch. 



No spinous dorsal ; body very long and slender, tapering to a 

 six-sided tail, which forms two-fifths of whole length ; plates 

 keeled, not spiny ; fins small ; nasal spines very strong ; color 

 brownish, obscurely banded with darker ; fins mottled ; head 

 triangular, narrowed in front. Dorsal rays, 5; anal rays, 6; 

 length, 6 inches. North Atlantic. 



"A specimen was taken off Sandy Hook in the summer of 

 1864." 



