FISHES OF NEW YORK 339 



rays, and equals twi<-' width of body; the first anal 

 spine is about equal to one half the depth of body; 

 the first anal ray longest and one half as long as 

 the head. The middle caudal rays equal width of head 

 and about three sevenths of length of head; the external rays 

 are slightly more than one half the length of head; the length of 

 the caudal peduncle equals three times the length of last dorsal 

 spine; the least hight of the peduncle is contained seven and 

 one third times in length of head. The pectoral is twice as 

 long as the mandible; the ventral is at a distance from tip of 

 snout equal to three times length of ventral spine; the ventral 

 spine is usually about two fifths as long as the head, or some- 

 what more. The dorsal spines are all in the same line in a 

 furrow, but they diverge so as to form a zigzag series. Pubic 

 bone w r eak, lanceolate, not serrate, its length about two fifths 

 head; ventral spines slender, pungent, serrulate above and below; 

 gill membranes free from isthmus behind, gill rakers long and 

 slender; caudal fin lunate, slightly emarginate. D. VII to XI, 

 I, 9; A. I, 8. Color brownish above, the upper part of sides with 

 numerous darker blotches simulating bands, lower parts silvery, 

 pubic and thoracic regions often black. Length 3 inches. 



The 10 spined stickleback inhabits the northern parts of 

 Europe, the Atlantic coast of America from Long Island to the 

 Arctic ocean; also tributaries of the Great lakes and northward 

 into British America and Alaska. In the Arctic fresh waters it 

 is represented by a form with shorter ventral spine, smaller eye, 

 lower fins, and other characters. 



Notwithstanding its small size, this fish serves a very useful 

 purpose as food for the salmon and trout, and arctic explorers 

 have utilized it in vast numbers for feeding their dogs. Occur- 

 ring as it does in shallow fresh-w r ater lagoons in summer, 

 apparently landlocked, and freezing solidly in winter, it has 

 always been a mystery how it survives. 



This stickleback is less abundant in Gravesend bay than rhe 

 tw 7 o spined and three spined species. In Great South bay it is 

 known as the thornback. In 1890 it was seen onlv once. In 



