90 



FISHES OF THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK 



restricted to the side above the pectoral fins and the body is scaleless. 

 The narrow ventral fins are situated at the throat in front of the pectoral 

 fins. The fish is mottled in color and well adapted for hiding, as it gen- 

 erally does, among sea weed. Its boldest color markings are on the 

 anterior part of the dorsal which is broadly and strikingly striped. The 

 Rock Eel, which is uncommon in this vicinity in the colder months of the 



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ROCK EEL 



year, is our representative of the northern group of Blennies. It is a fish 

 easy to recognize, having an elong-.ite eel-like band-shaped body, a small 

 head and a low dorsal fin made up of short sharp spines and their con- 

 necting membrane, which extends the entire length of the back. Its 

 colors are also characteristic. At intervals there are round black blotches 

 on the dorsal fin and a curved stripe extends downward from the nape 

 through and beyond the eye. The Ghostfish is another elongate some- 





GHOSTFISH 



what eel-like species belonging to an allied family. It agrees with the 

 Rock Eel in having the elongate dorsal fin made up entirely of spines, 

 about seventy-three of these. It differs from that species in having a 

 large squarish head with a large mouth opening obliquely upward and 

 in its pale brownish color, irregularly spotted above and on the back fin. 

 Its eyes are placed far forward and near the top of the head. The Wolf 

 Fish also resembles somewhat the Rock Eel, but its back fin is much 

 higher, the spines composing it more flexible, and it is shorter bodied, the 



