306 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



under jaw slightly longest. Small blunt teeth, in three or four rows, in front of each jaw ; 

 teeth also on the pharyngeals, and a small patch on the base of the tongue, which appeared 

 to be distinct from the pharyngeals. 



The dorsal hump without any vestige of rays ; at least, I found none in two which I exa- 

 mined. Dorsal fm with thick soft and indistinctly branched rays, opposite to the anal, higher 

 than long, and rounded on the margin. Pectorals short, with a very broad base ; not united 

 beneath, but partially concealing the ventrals. Ventrals immediately under the pectorals, 

 united into a disk (see figure), with a funnel-shaped cavity in the middle ; the margins softly 

 dentated. Anal higher than long, placed under the dorsal, which it resembles in size and 

 shape. The rays of the anal, caudal, dorsal and pectoral fins covered with small bony tuber- 

 cles. Skin very thick. Stomach enormously large ; the abdominal cavity lined with a pearl- 

 colored membrane. Intestines very long ; numerous caeca. No air-bladder. 



Color. Above deep blue, becoming paler on the sides, which are tinged with yellowish 

 beneath, approaching to red. Ventrals bright yellow, and in the spawning season, bright red. 

 Irides yellowish. 



Length, 110. Depth, 7-0. 



Fin rays, D. 10; P. 20; A. 10; C. 11. 



This fish agrees so exactly in all its characters with the Lump-fish of Europe, that I 

 cannot hesitate to place it under that species. It is often much larger than the dimensions 

 noted above. Dr. Storer noted one which weighed seventeen pounds. In Scotland, it is 

 called the Cock-paddle and Hen-paddle ; in England, Lump Sucker, Lump-fish, and Sea Owl ; 

 in France, Licorne de Mer. In the former country, it is considered a great delicacy, though 

 it agrees with few stomachs, on account of its oily nature. In this country it is not eaten. 

 By means of its cup-shaped ventrals, it adheres so firmly to any solid substance as to be re- 

 moved with extreme difficulty. Pennant relates, that upon throwing one of these fishes into 

 a pail of water, it adhered so firmly, that upon taking hold of the fish by the tail, he lifted 

 the whole vessel, although it held several gallons. 



It is a native of the northern seas ; the coast of New-York being its most southern locality 

 hitherto observed. 



We have not observed the C. minutus of Pallas, which is a beautiful species about an inch 

 long, and distinguished by two white tubercles on its sides. Its occurrence on the coast of 

 Massachusetts rests only upon the authority of Dr. Smith, in his Natural History of the 

 Fishes of Massachusetts, p. 221. Nor have we seen any species of the genus Liparus, on 

 this side of the Atlantic. According to Sabine, one species, L. vulgaris, was taken in Davis' 

 Straits. 



