FAMILY TRIGLIDiE COTTUS. 53 



directed upwards and backwards, and is the longest ; the second directed downward, and 

 the third smallest. The opercle itself terminates in a long slender spine. The tips of the 

 pectoral extend beyond the first dorsal. Tail even, slightly rounded. 



Color. Above dark brown, obscurely mottled with black ; sides mottled with reddish brown 

 and black; beneath yellowish white, or with patches of white and orange. Sides of the 

 cheeks brazen. All the fins yellowish or light brownish, with interrupted brownish bars. 



Length, 5 • - 6 • 0. 



Fin rays, D. 10.15; P. 15 ; V. 3 ; A. 10; C. 12 f. 



This species is frequently taken with the hook in Long Island sound, and the harbor of 

 New- York. It rarely exceeds six inches in length, and is usually not more than four. Mit- 

 chell's enumeration of the fin rays nearly accords with our own, except in the caudal fin, where 

 the discrepancy arose no doubt from his having included the accessory rays. A specimen in 

 the Cabinet of the Lyceum, named by Dr. Mitchill himself, leaves no doubt as to the identity 

 of the species. It bears, however, a striking resemblance to the C. bubalis of Euphrasen 

 (Mem. Acad. Stockhol. 1786), and which is also figured by Cuvier, pi. 78. 



The geographic range of this species is at present limited to the coasts of Massachusetts 

 and New-York. It probably ranges farther north. 



THE SMOOTH-BROWED BULL-HEAD. 



COTTUS MITCHILLII. 



PLATE XVII. FIG. 47. — (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Cottus scorpio' Mitchill, Lit. and Phil. Soc. Vol. 1, p. 381. 

 C. mitchilli. Cov. et Val. Hist. Poiss. Vol. 4, p. 188. 



Characteristics. Orbits unarmed. Preopercle with four spines. Anal fin with eleven rays. 

 Length two to three inches. 



Description. Body deepest at the origin of the first dorsal, and less than one-third of its 

 total length. Lateral line prominent, curved, concurrent with the back. Head sloping, ex- 

 cavated on the nape, broadly channelled between the eyes, and descending in an arched 

 manner to the snout. Two minute spines directed backwards on the basal line of the head ; 

 another pair anterior to the orbits, and so placed as to be nearly between, but rather within a 

 line drawn between the anterior and posterior nostrils. Preopercle with four spines ; the 

 upper 01 and longest, directed upwards, the next backwards, the third downwards, and the 

 fourth obliquely forwards : the first is furnished with a fleshy slip. Opercle with a spine above 

 forming a ridge on the surface, and a pointed membranous flap beyond ; and another smaller 

 directed downwards, and nearly opposite the centre of the base of the pectorals. Orbits 

 0-2 in diameter, and distant half their diameters, their planes forming less than a right 

 angle with the plane of the base of the lower jaw. A spine on the supra-scapulary, and 



