THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 397 
Genus Acuirus Lacépeéde. 
The American Soles. 
Achirus fasciatus Lacépéde. 
PLATE 90. 
Sole. Hog Choker. New York Sole. Cover Clip. 
Head 334; depth 134; D. 55; A. 41; scales 75 in lateral line to 
base of caudal, and 7 more on latter; 32 scales between base of 
dorsal at its highest part and lateral line, counted in a vertical 
series ; 42 scales between lateral line and lowest portion of base 
of anal counted in a vertical series; snout 2% in head, measured 
from lower orbit; mouth 3%; highest dorsal ray 134; highest 
anal ray 134; caudal 1. Body dextral, broad, regularly elliptical. 
Head rather small. Snout a little long. Eye circular, upper well 
in advance of lower, or its posterior margin about opposite an- 
terior margin of lower pupil. Mouth curved, gape reaching 
about opposite front rim of pupil. Lower right lip fringed, upper 
more papillose. Teeth minute, in asperous bands most developed 
on blind side, where gape of mouth is also more curved. Nostril 
large, close to lip, just in front of margin of anterior eye. A 
well-developed prenasal spine, though rather short. Interorbital 
space about 34 of orbit. Gill-opening about twice length of 
maxillary. Gill-rakers short weak fleshy tubercles, rather 
sparse. Body covered with strongly ctenoid scales, those along 
anterior dorsal profile enlarged. Interorbital space scaly. Bases 
of all fins covered with small scales. Lateral line nearly straight. 
Dorsal beginning on tip of snout, last rays decreasing rapidly, 
giving fin a truncated appearance posteriorly. Anal similar. 
Caudal rounded. No pectorals. Color dusky-olive dextrally, 
more or less finely mottled and with about 8 dark vertical lines. 
Dorsal and anal with membrane of every second or third pair 
of rays blackish, besides dark cloudings at base of fin. Caudal 
with dark blotches basally. Left or blind side whitish. Length 
5% inches. Beesley’s Point. 
Abundant along our sea-coast and ascending tide-water 
streams. It has several times been noted in the Delaware tide- 
