8 University of Michigan 



Cottiis ricei (Nelson) 



Cottopsis ricei Nelson, Bull. Illinois ]\Ius. Nat. Hist, i, 1876, p. 40. 

 Uranidea ricei Jordan and Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 16, 1883, 



p. 9.53- 



Cottiis ricei Jordan and Evermann, Bull. U. S. Nat. IMus., 47, pt. 2, 

 1898, p. 1952; Forbesand Richardson, Nat. Hist. Surv. Illinois, 3, 1908, 

 P- 2)~7 '> Jordan and Thompson, Proc. U. S. Nat. ]\lus. 38, 1910, p. 78, 

 fig- 3- 



Uranidea pollicaris Jordan and Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 5, 

 1882, p. 222. 



Coitus pollicaris Jordan and Evermann, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 47, 

 pt. 2, 1898, p. 1954. 



This aberrant species heretofore has been known only from 

 a few specimens taken in Lakes Alichigan and Ontario. A 

 series of five from Lakes ]^lichigan, Huron and Superior, have 

 been gathered together by the writer for comparison. A study 

 of this lot has indicated that the presence or absence of prickles, 

 as in several other cases in the genus, is merely an intraspecific 

 variation. When present the prickles are either coarse or weak, 

 and cover a vary'ing proportion of the surface of the body 

 below the lateral line. Just below the main, long, spirally curv- 

 ed preoperctilar spine there is a smaller downward directed 

 spine, and belo^v and before this one there are indications of 

 about two smaller spines on the bridges of bone between the 

 sensory cavities in the preopercle ; the mandibular bones are 

 similarly cavernous ; the end of the maxillary is fleshy. Pal- 

 atine teeth are absent, but simulated by rows of non-dentiger- 

 ous papillae, which were apparently mistaken for teeth by 

 Nelson. Considering the foregoing facts there appear to be no 

 grounds for the distinction of Uranidea pollicaris from Cottiis 

 ricei. The type descriptions of both nominal species conform 

 in essential details with the specimens at hand. The more im- 

 portant characters of the series are tabulated below. 



