CATALOGUE OF VERTEBRATES. 705 



Q. aculeatus, L. (noveboracentis, biaculeaius, ni</<T, traehurus, &c.) New 

 York Stickleback. Burnstickle. Common Stickleback. 



Dark greenish above ; sides yellowish ; ventrals often red ; 

 head long; tail keeled and slender; dorsal spines hinged to 

 plate ; large naked area in front of pectorals. Thirteen rays 

 and three spines in dorsal ; nine soft rays in anal. Length, 4 

 inches. 



" This is an abundant species, met with along the coast 

 generally." 



APELTES, DeK. 

 A. quadracus, Mitch. Four-spined Stickleback. 



Back elevated ; tail very slender, not keeled ; skin naked ; ven- 

 trals, when depressed, enclosed by bony ridge ; free dorsal spines 

 three, directed to different sides, first longest ; brownish olive ; 

 Bottled ; silvery below ; male nearly black ; ventrals red in 

 spring. Length, 1J to 2J inches; 11 soft rays in dorsal; 8 in 

 anal. 



" This species appears, from the writer's investigations, to be 

 the most abundant species of the five. He has taken it in 

 small streams in the interior of the State, at considerable dis- 

 tance from the river, and fully one hundred and fifty miles from 

 the ocean." [C. C. A.] 



ORDER ACANTHOPTERI. 



Spiny-rayed Fishes. 



Maxillary distinct from premaxillary, which latter forms boundary 

 of mouth ; bones of jaws separate, and cranium normal. The most 

 extensive order of fishes, sometimes including also the Hemibranchii, 

 Opisthomi and Pediculati ; or sometimes more restricted, the Atheri- 

 nidce and Mugilidce being classed as Order Percesoces ; and the 

 Gadidce, Lycodidce, Ophidiidce, Ammodytidce and Fierasferidce form- 

 ing the Order Anacanthini. By some authors (European), the Ana- 

 canthini also include the Synentognathi and Heterosomata : the group 

 being considered to include fishes with no spines in dorsal and ven- 

 trals, the latter being jugular in position. 



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