THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 401 
Astroscopus guttatus (Abbott). 
Star Gazer. 
Head 2% ; depth 3%; D. IV, 15; A. 13; width of head 1% in 
its length; depth of head 136; upper edge of pectoral 1°/,; 
eighth dorsal ray 2%; eleventh anal ray 3; caudal 1*/,; least 
depth of caudal peduncle 4; innermost ventral ray 134; inter- 
orbital space about 3 over head measured from tip of upper jaw; 
maxillary 2%; eye 3% in head. Body robust. Head broad, 
well flattened above. Snout broad, flattened. Eye small, a little 
longer than broad. Maxillary vertical, its greatest expansion 
half of interorbital space. Lips with many transverse filament- 
like plications. Teeth rather large, unequal. Naked space be- 
tween forks of Y on top of head short and broad, longer than 
vertical limb of Y, which is very short. Naked area behind eye 
broad, its greatest width 134 in its greatest length. Anterior 
internasal space a little greater than posterior. Nostrils with 
short cutaneous flaps marginally, and posterior pair each with 
an outwardly curved canal with entire margins furnished simi- 
larly. Two short spines directed forward from front of orbit. 
Bones of head more or less rugosely striate, opercles becoming 
striate marginally. Preopercle with 2 blunt spines directed down- 
wards. Gill-rakers reduced to small asperities. Scales disap- 
pearing on lower surface of body. Lateral line extending su- 
periorly from shoulder to spinous dorsal, then continued close 
along bases of both dorsals. First 2 dorsal spines larger, sub- 
equal. Posterior portion of rayed dorsal highest. Anal begins 
behind rayed dorsal, and tips of radii free. Caudal rounded. 
Pectoral with upper rays longer, reaches beyond anal. Ventral 
a little more than half way to vent. Color above, and lower jaw, 
bright chocolate. Belly and throat white. Darker parts marked 
with many circular spots lighter than ground-color. Membrane 
of first dorsal black. Sécond dorsal white with 3 irregular bands 
of dull black obliquely across. Caudal with 3 parallel bands of 
blackish-brown, middle appearing as continuation of variable 
longitudinal band on center of side. Anal has variable band of 
26 MU 
