THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 309 
way on side of snout, near together, and posterior a short ver- 
tical slit. Interorbital space elevated convexly. Margin of pre- 
opercle rather weakly spinescent, and expanding at lower corner. 
Gill-opening forward midway in loreal region. Gill-rakers 5-17, 
slender, lanceolate, and longest 1% in eye. Gill-filaments almost 
equal eye. Isthmus bevelled in front. Scales cycloid, in some- 
what undulated longitudinal series, and becoming small and 
crowded on edges of body. Pectoral naked, and other fins all 
more or less entirely covered with minute crowded scales. Head 
naked, and more or less entirely covered with mucous pores, 
whole appearance finely corrugated or rugose, though smooth to 
touch. Spinous dorsal inserted midway between middle of eye 
and tip of last spine, all spines small, weak and graduated down 
from about fourth, which is longest. Rayed dorsal inserted 
nearer tip of snout than base of caudal, and graduated down from 
front of fin, which is highest at first branched rays. Spinous 
anal inserted about midway between posterior margin of eye 
and base of caudal, and spines graduated to third which is longest. 
Rayed anal similar to rayed dorsal. Caudal broad, and deeply 
emarginate. Pectoral broad, and upper rays longest, reaching 
44 to vent. Ventral inserted below bases of lowermost pectoral 
rays, and reaching 44 to vent. Ventral spine about */, length 
of fin. Color in alcohol blackish-brown, scales with dusky 
reticulated appearance, and all of fins blackish. Iris slaty. 
Length 1134 inches. Sea Isle City. July 1906. Wm. J. Fox. 
Color of above when fresh, livid blackish-slaty with somewhat 
slaty-olivaceous tinge. Back, upper surface of head and caudal 
peduncle, everywhere finely speckled with blackish or dusky, 
these specks rather fine and indistinct. Lower side of body and 
abdomen dull soiled dusky-gray with very dilute blue-green tinge. 
Head all more or less dusky, especially lips and jaws. Fins all 
blackish, perhaps color most intense distally, and membranes 
with livid slaty tinge. Radii of ventral, and spine, slightly 
creamy. Iris bright colored, a broad circle of bright orange 
around pupil in life, and an outer circle to this silvery. Inside 
of gill-opening with dusky. 
