144 FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



The eyes upon the right side of the body. All the right 

 side of the body and the fins of a reddish brown color ; the whole 

 left side of the body and the fins perfectly white. Length of 

 the head to the body, exclusive of the caudal fin, as 1 to 4 ; 

 width of the body equal to half the length of the fish. 

 Mouth very large ; upper jaw slightly projecting beyond the 

 lower ; both jaws furnished with a single row of prominent, 

 sharp teeth, separated from each other so that when the mouth 

 is closed the teeth of one jaw shut into the space between 

 those of the opposite jaw ; the lower jaw has a blunt spine at 

 the chin ; lips small. Eyes placed over each other, separated 

 by a bony ridge covered with scales similar to those over the 

 whole head ; pupils of the eye black, irides golden ; longest 

 diameter of the eye nearly equal to one third the length of the 

 head. The lateral line makes a curve over the pectorals, so 

 slight as to be scarcely observable. 



The Dorsal fin commences just over the middle of the eyes, 

 and terminates a short distance in front of the caudal rays. 



The Pectorals are half the length of the head. 



The Yentrals originate before the pectorals. 



The Anal fin commences back of the middle of the pecto- 

 rals, and terminates upon the same plane with the dorsal fin. 

 The edges of the anal and dorsal fins on the right side fringed 

 by the continuation of the whiteness of the left side upon 

 them. 



The fin rays are : D. 91 ; P. 11 ; V. 6 ; A. 70 ; 0. 18. 



HlPPOGLOSSUS. Cuv. 



Generic characters. Doth eyes and the color on the 

 right side, and fins similar to those of the species of the 

 genus Platessa ; the jaws and the pharynx are armed with 

 teeth that are sharper and stronger, and the form of the body 

 is more elongated. 



