322 



NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



GENUS HIPPOCAMPUS. 



Snout elongated as in the preceding. Body enlarged and deep in the centre, with angular 

 and spinous plates. No ventral nor caudal fin. Female only with an anal fin. Tail 

 prehensile. 



THE HUDSON-RIVER SEA-HORSE. 



Hippocampus hudsoniust. 



PLATE LIII. FIG. 171. — (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Syngnathus hippocampus. Linneus. 



Sea-horse at New-York. Schcepfk, Beobacht. Vol. 8, p. 194. 



S. id.. Sea-horse Pipe-fish. Mitchill, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. New- York, Vol. 1, p. 475. 



The Short-nosed Sea-horse, II. breviroslris. Stoker, Massachusetts Report, p. 167. 



Characteristics. A crest extending from the eye to the base of the snout. Pectorals with 

 fifteen rays. Tubular jaws half the length of the head. Length three to 

 six inches. 



Description. Body of twelve segments, heptangular, protuberant, with three rows of tuber- 

 cular points formed by the junction of the plates on each side, and a single row beneath ; the 

 tubercular points become more elevated at the place of the dorsal fin. Jaws tubular, straight, 

 cleft at the extremity, 0"3 in length measured above, and 0"9 to the branchial aperture. A 

 short tubercle at the base of the jaw above, and connected by an elevated crest to a distinct 

 spine over each eye. On the summit of the head, a large bony protuberance terminating in 

 five distinct points. The oval branchial apertures behind this protuberance. Nostrils double, 

 round, immediately anterior to the eyes. Eyes prominent. Anal (in the female) with three 

 rays. Tail longer than the body, quadrangular, ending in a blunted point, finless, and com- 

 posed of thirty-two segments. 



Color. Light brown, with iridescent opercles. Irides yellow. 



Length 4 "5. 



Fin rays, D. 18 ; P. 15; A. 3. 



This species varies in size from three to six inches. I cannot reconcile it with the brevi- 

 rostris described by Yarrel, to which it is referred by my estimable friend Dr. Storer. It has 

 even a shorter tubular jaw. All the specimens which I have hitherto had an opportunity to 

 examine, were females. We believe that the animals of this genus stand alone among fishes, 

 in having a prehensile tail. 



