286 PERCOIDES. 



fish, being stretched on long, hard rays, projecting 

 beyond the inter-spinous membrane. The anal 

 fin is of a dusky yellow. In the branchial mem- 

 brane are six rays, in the pectoral fourteen, ven- 

 tral six, dorsal nine and fourteen, anal sixteen, and 

 caudal fifteen, rays. It is very ugly to the eye. 



GEN. COTTUS. 



This genus is characterised by a head thicker 

 than the body, beset with occasional spines, gen- 

 erally flattened horizontally ; the first dorsal fin 

 spinous, and separated from the second, which is 

 near the tail, and soft ; the pectoral fins are broad, 

 large, strong, and powerfully, and sometimes dan- 

 gerously exerted on the fishermen's hands. They 

 are found in salt and fresh water, and live consid- 

 erable time out of the water, in the shade. Those 

 from the ocean are less tenacious of life than the 

 others. If irritated, their heads appear to become 

 enormously distended with air, which is drawn in 

 by the gills. 



River-Bullhead, — Coitus Gobio. This fish 

 is universally known all over New England, and 

 we imagine, all over the continent, existing in all 

 latitudes. The body is of a variable olive color, 

 approaching a dark yellow, and on the back near- 

 ly black. On each side of the head is a long 



