FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 67 



This species, which is incorrectly called hy our fishermen 

 " ling" sometimes attains the size of three and a half feet. It 

 is seldom met with in Boston market. When young, its flesh 

 is very sweet and palatable ; I have repeatedly had it upon my 

 table. 



I improve the opportunity presented by the possession of a 

 fine specimen, taken at Provincetown, thirty-one inches in 

 length, to draw up the following description : 



Color, a yellowish brown or fawn, sprinkled with darker 

 patches ; beneath, paler ; front and top of head, of a livid 

 color ; gill-covers lighter, but rather dull, having a distinct 

 dirty white band nearly two lines in width, running obliquely 

 from under and outer angle of eye to posterior edge of opercu- 

 lum. Whole surface of fish, with the exception of head, cov- 

 ered with innumerable minute cup-like depressions. Head, 

 large, resembling in its aspect that of a " Cottus" 1 ; body grad- 

 ually tapering, and terminating in a pointed tail. Length of 

 head to whole length of body as 1 to 5 ; width of back of 

 head, greater than greatest depth of body. Upper lip project- 

 ing beyond lower, very large and fleshy: projecting over jaw 

 nearly two thirds of an inch : under lip also quite fleshy, but 

 much less so than the upper. Teeth in jaws, large ; those 

 situated in back of jaw, sharper ; a single row from the outer 

 angle of upper jaw the extent of four teeth j then a double row 

 of three teeth ; then, to the middle of jaw, a row of three teeth 

 deep ; the front teeth of this triple row are the largest in the 

 jaw. A single row of eight teeth from outer angle of lower 

 jaw towards the middle ; then a double row of from four to six 

 teeth to the middle of jaw. Numerous large teeth in throat ; 

 tongue large, fleshy, smooth. Nostrils tubular, about half the 

 distance between eyes and snout ; distance between eyes, equal 

 to about one sixth the length of head. Pupils of eye black ; 

 irides golden. The lateral line commences above operculum, 

 at a distance in front of its posterior angle, equal to the dis- 

 tance between the eyes, and passing just beyond posterior 

 angle of operculum, makes a slight curve downwards, and then 

 passes on towards posterior extremity of the body, in a straight 



