THE FISHES OF NEW: JERSEY. 223 
Known from the preceding chiefly by the smaller scales, which 
are 115 or more in the lateral line. 
I have no examples of this species. It is small, rarely more 
than a foot in length. 
Sphyrena borealis Baird, 9th An. Rep. Smiths. Inst., 1854, p. 
326.—Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 812.—Bean, Bull. U. S. F. 
Com., VII, 1887, p. 145.—Bean, Bull. Am. Mus. N. H., IX, 
1897, Pp. 358. 
Sub-Order HEMIBRANCHII. 
The Half Gilled Fishes. 
Key to the families. 
a. Ventrals each with a sharp spine, each with 1 soft ray, and subthoracic; 
dorsal spines. GASTEROSTEID A 
aa. Ventrals without spines, each with 6 soft rays, and sub-abdominal; dorsal 
spines undeveloped. FISTULARIID A) 
Family GASTEROSTEID. 
The Sticklebacks. 
Body more or less fusiform, somewhat compressed, tapering 
behind to a slender caudal peduncle. Head moderate, anterior 
part not greatly produced. Mouth moderate, cleft oblique, lower 
jaw prominent. Maxillary bent at right angles, and overlapping 
premaxillary at corner of mouth. ‘Teeth sharp, even, in a narrow 
band in each jaw. No teeth on vomer or palatines. Premaxil- 
laries protractile. Preorbital rather broad. Suborbital plate large, 
often coverning anterior part of cheeks, forming a connection 
with preopercle. Opercles unarmed. Gill-membranes broadly 
joined, free from isthmus or not. Gill-rakers moderate or rather 
long. Branchiostegals 3. Air-vessel simple. A few pyloric 
coeca. Vertebrz 30 to 35, anterior little enlarged. Skin naked 
or with vertically oblong bony plates, no true scales. Middle of 
sides of belly shielded by pubic bones. Pectoral preceded by a 
quadrate naked area, which is covered with shining skin. Dorsal 
fin preceded by II or more free spines. Anal similar to soft 
