FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 61 



or teeth ; tongue, spotted with brown. Gill-covers silvery, 

 with cupreous reflections. The lateral line which is very well 

 marked, commences just back of the posterior angle of oper- 

 culum, and, arching backwards, curves with the back to the 

 upper part of the fleshy portion of the tail. A slight, depressed, 

 straight line, destitute of scales, is seen passing from the origin 

 of the lateral line to the middle of the fleshy portion of tail ; 

 and another line, similar in its appearance to the last, passes 

 from inferior base of pectorals, curving with the abdomen to 

 the lower part of fleshy portion of tail, corresponding in its 

 course with the lateral line. These lines gradually disappear 

 after death. At the side of the dorsal fin, commencing at its 

 origin, and terminating towards its posterior half, are situated 

 between twenty and thirty small circular black punctures, 

 which give it a very characteristic appearance : these orifices 

 are mucous ducts. At the origin of the dorsal fin a small 

 naked horizontal spine points forwards. 



The Dorsal fin of the same color as the sides of the body 

 commences half of an inch back of the pectorals, and is con- 

 tinued to the fleshy portion of the tail : the rays, posterior to 

 the eleven first, are considerably shorter, and are continued to 

 the extremity of about equal length. 



The Pectorals are slightly lighter than the dorsal : length to 

 height as 3 to 19. 



The Anus is a small fissure just in front of anal spine. Three 

 lines in front of anus, is a small horizontal spine pointing back- 

 wards, the posterior point of the pelvis. 



The Anal fin has, at its origin, a horizontal naked spine 

 also, pointing forwards like that before the dorsal : this fin 

 arises just back of a line opposite the origin of dorsal, and ter- 

 minates upon the same plane with it : it is formed like the 

 dorsal, but is not so high. 



The Caudal fin is of the color of the pectorals, and is deeply 

 forked : height of rays two and a half inches : length of fin. one 

 half inch ; depth of fins, when the extremities are expanded, two 

 inches. 



The fin rays are as follows : D. 45 ; P. 21 ; A. 43 ; C. 20. 



