FISHES COTTIDAE — COTTOPSIS ASPER. 51 



and generally well developed. The ventrals are situated under the pectorals, posteriorly to the 

 base of the latter fins, and composed of a small number of rays. The pectorals themselves are 

 very large, broad, or expanded, with their inferior rays undivided (though articulated) and pro- 

 jecting beyond the interradial membrane, which is emarginated. 



We observe three complete gills and a half one ; the last gill aperture being wanting. The 

 complete gills are those which are composed of two branchial combs ; the half gill having but 

 one of these. 



The teeth are mostly of the velvet-like type, varying but little according to the genera. They 

 occur upon the jaws in all ; but the palate may be either entirely smooth, or else velvet- 

 like teeth may occur upon the front of the vomer, or along the palatine bones also. 



Were it not for their large and spiny head, and the repugnance of fishermen of handling 

 them, the cottoids would be seen oftener in our markets, particularly the large marine species, 

 which are quite palatable, especially when stewed or made into chowders. The wounds which 

 they may inflict with their spines, supposed venomous, being the chief cause why the American 

 seacoast people are unwilling to have anything to do with them. On a few occasions, however, 

 when other fishes were scarce, we have seen the " sculpin" caught with hook and line, decapi- 

 tated on being hauled up, and thus carried home ; a safe method, indeed. Another reason 

 for the antipathy of fishermen towards the " sculpin," is the mischief caused to their nets when- 

 ever it gets entangled into them. 



COTTOPSIS, Girard. 



Gen. Char. — Head perfectly smooth ; small spines upon the opercular apparatus, especially the preopercle. Mouth mode- 

 rately cleft ; jaws equal. Teeth upon the premaxillaries, dentaries, front of vomer, and palatines. Gill openings separated 

 beneath by an isthmus ; branchiostegals six in number. Dorsal fins contiguous upon their base ; anterior one lower than the 

 posterior. Caudal sub-convex posteriorly. Insertion of ventrals under the base of pectorals. Skin beset with minute prickles. 

 Lateral line continuous from head to tail, sometimes falling slightly upon the peduncle of the tail. 



Srs.—CoUopsis, Grd. Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. Ill, 1850, 303. ; Smith. Contr. to Knowled. Ill, 1852, 61. ; &, Nouv. 

 Mem Soc. Helv. Sc. Nat. XII, 1851, 185. 



The natural characters of this fresh water genus approximate it closely to Leptneottus of marine 

 habits. The chief points in which they difi'er are observed in the gape of the mouth, the relative 

 length of the jaws, and the structure of the skin. The spines on the preopercle might afford 

 some minor distinctive marks ; but so far as the physiognomy of these two genera is concerned, 

 nothing is more distinct. 



1. COTTOPSIS ASPER, Grd. 



Spec Char.— Origin of first dorsal opposite the insertion of the upper ray of pectorals. First ray of anal under the fourth of 

 second dorsal. Tip of pectorals extending to a vertical line passing posterior to the vent. Skin generally prickly ; lateral line 

 slightly deflected upon the peduncle of the tail. Greyish white, studded with clove-brown spots ; beneath speckled. 

 Stn.— Cofius asper, Rich. Faun. Bor. Amer. Ill, 1836, 295 and 313, PI. xcv, fig. 1. 

 Trachidermis Hchardsoni, Heck. Ann. Wien. Mus. II, 1837, 162. 



Centridermichthys asper, Rich. Voy. Sulph. Ichthyol. 1844, 74 ; >, Rep. Ichthyol. China and .Japan (Rep. Brit. Assoc.) 

 Cottopsis asper, Grd. Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. Ill, 1850, 303 ; Nouv. Mem. Soc. Helv. Sc. Nat. XII, 1851, 185 ; &, 

 Smith. Contrib. to Knowled. Ill, 1852, 62. 



Some years ago, while preparing for publication the fresh water members of the cottoid group, 

 it was with a sense of deep regret that we saw the work passing through the press without 

 having had an opportunity of studying from nature the species at that time known to inhabit 

 Columbia river. A succession of fortunate events have placed in my hands a series of specimens of 



