752 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



blotches on dorsal ; ventrals and anals orange. Dorsal rays, X, 

 12; anal rays, 11 ; lateral-line scales, 60. 



" This species is not abundant on our coast, although met with 

 every summer by collectors." 



OEPHAL ACANTHUS, Lac. 



(Dactylopterus.) 

 C. volitans, L. [Gasterosteus spinarella, L.) Flying Gurnard. 



Head blunt, quadrangular ; body tapering backward ; bones 

 on top of head united into a shield, prolonged backward as two 

 ridges to dorsal ; preorbitals form a projecting roof above jaws ; 

 a long, rough spine on preopercle; cheeks and opercles with 

 small scales ; mouth small ; no teeth on vomer and palatines ; 

 scales keeled ; two knife-like, serrated appendages at base of 

 tail ; pectorals in two parts, the anterior of six rays about as 

 long as head, the posterior large, and reaching nearly to caudal 

 in the adult ; air-bladder with two lateral parts ; vertebrse, 9 -f- 

 13 ; color greenish brown and olive, paler below, marked with 

 red and yellow ; blue on pectorals ; brownish-red markings on 

 caudal; variable. Dorsal rays, II — IV, 8; anal rays, 6; 

 length, 12 inches. Can fly like true flying-fish, but not so far. 



"Although not numerous, this fish is well known to the shore 

 fishermen. Specimens are met with along the coast and in our 

 bays, and occasionally in the river's mouth, beyond the reach of 

 strictly sea-water." 



Tamily CYCLOPTERIDiE. 



liump Suckers. 



Body short and thick ; mouth small ; teeth slender, in bauds, none 

 on vomer or palatines ; gill openings on sides, narrow ; dorsal long, 

 spiny in front, hidden by a fleshy lump in the adult ; ventrals thora- 

 cic, rudimentary, forming the center of a sucking disk. 



