392 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY IV. 
(ler. Dorsal spines minute, mneli shorter than pupil. Caudal i^ecl uncle 
loiiijer than head. Head 4 5 depth IG. D. XXV— Oj A. I, Oj V. I, 5. 
Pacilic coast, from Monterey northward ; not rare. 
(Gill, Proc. Acail. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1861, 1(59: AuUscops spinescens Peters, Berlin Mo- 
natsberichr, 1866 ; Steind. IcLtliyol, Beitr. v, 153.) 
Family LXIV.— GASTEROSTEID^. 
(The SticUebacIcs.) 
Body elongate, somewhat compressed, tapering behind to a slender 
caudal peduncle. Head rather long, the anterior part not produced into 
a tube. Mouth moderate, with the cleft obiiciue, the lower jaw promi- 
nent. Teeth sharp, even, in a narrow band in each jaw ; no teeth on 
vomer or palatines. Premaxillaries protractile. Preorbital rather 
broad; suborbital plate large, often covering the anterior i)art of the 
cheeks, forming a connection with the preopercle. Branchiostegals 3. 
Gill-membranes broadly joined, free from the isthmus, or not ; gill-rakers 
moderate or rather long. Opercles unarmed. Skin naked or with ver- 
tically oblong bony plates ; no true scales. Dorsal fin preceded by two 
or more free spines ; anal similar to soft dorsal, with a single spine ; 
ventral fins subabdominal, consisting of a stout spine and a rudimentary 
ray. Middle or sides of belly shielded by the innominate bones. Pec- 
torals short, unusually far behind the gill-openings, preceded by a 
quadrate naked area, which is covered with shining skin. Caudal fin 
narrow, usually lunate. Air-bladder simple ; a tew i)yloric coeca. Gen- 
era 3, Gasterosteiis, Apeltes, and Spinachia. S[)ecies about 20. Small 
fishes inhabiting the fresh waters and arms of the sea in Xorthern 
Europe and America ; noted for their pugnacity. They are exceedingly 
destructive to the spawn and fry of larger Oshes 
“ It is scarcely to be conceived Avhat damage these little fishes do, and 
how greatly detrimental they are to the increase of all the fishes among 
which they live, for it is with the utmost industry, sagacity, and greedi- 
ness that they seek out and destroy all the young fry that come their 
way.” (Giinther.) Most of the Sticklebacks build elaborate nests which 
the male fish defends with much siiirit. 
{Gasterosteidw Gihither, i, 1-7.) 
a. Innominate bones joined, forming a triangular or lanceolate plate on the median 
line of the abdomen Gasteiiostecs, 193. 
art. Innominate bones widely separated, forming a bony ridge on each side, between 
which are the ventral tins Apelti s, 194. 
