154 FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



inches, five lines ; depth of the head, at the posterior portion, 

 one and a half inches ; width over the same portion, two inches, 

 two lines. Eyes situated just half way between the tip of the 

 lower jaw and the extremity of the operculum, circular, be- 

 tween three and four lines in diameter. Nostrils, double, 

 small, furnished with fleshy appendages. Branchial aperture 

 very large ; membrane 5 rayed. The lower jaw, which termi- 

 nates in a point, extends six lines in front of the upper ; both 

 jaws crowded with numerous small teeth, resembling very 

 much those of a card. Teeth also in the throat, and upon the 

 palatine bones. Tongue, rough. Upon the top of the head, is 

 an adhesive disk, four inches two lines in length, one inch one 

 line wide, at the anterior extremity ; one inch six lines at the 

 widest part of the posterior extremity ; extending from the tip 

 of the upper jaw to the middle of the pectorals ; this disk has 

 21 transverse plates, divided by a longitudinal median fleshy 

 line ; these plates are light colored ; the entire disk is margined 

 by a fleshy border of the same color as the back, from 1 to 4 

 lines wide ; the under portion of the margin, surrounded by a 

 white line. 



The Dorsal fin arises just in front of the middle of the body ; 

 it is of a dark slate color ; the first ray is margined with white ; 

 this edging is continued up to and upon its tip, and the tip of 

 the other rays, gradually diminishing in its width at about the 

 tenth ray, and becomes at last scarcely discernible. This fin 

 is seven inches long. 



The Pectorals commence on a line with the posterior, four 

 laminse of the disk ; the fins the color of the body ; their 

 length to their height as 1 to 3. 



The Yentrals are just back of the pectorals ; 5 rayed ; 

 their length, equal to one sixth their height. 



The Anal fin arises on a plane with, and terminates upon the 

 same plane as the dorsal ; like it, it is dark colored and edged 

 with white ; its first rays, however, are higher than those of 

 the dorsal. The anus is half an inch in front of the anal fin. 



The Caudal fin is nearly even at its extremity ; at its fleshy 

 portion, anterior to the rays, it is four lines deep ; at the com- 



