﻿HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 319 



distance ; the lower ridges with small and crowded reticulating striae, like those of a file. 

 Gape of mouth large in proportion to diameter of tube. Lower jaw the longer, and 

 somewhat curved upwards. A fleshy protuberance at chin. Both jaws -with numerous 

 small, sharp, recurved teeth. Nostrils double (Dekay says single), just in front of ante- 

 rior superior orbital spine, the posterior being the smaller. Orbits elliptical, greatly 

 ridged, with blunt spines anteriorly both above and below, and posteriorly above. Top 

 of head strongly ridged. Opercida with radiating strife. 



Shoulders covered by horny plates extending deep upon the sides, and reaching pos- 

 teriorly two thirds the distance between the pectoral and ^•entral fins. Skin slightly 

 roughened, but no scales visible. 



The lateral line commences above and a little anterior to the superior angle of the 

 opercle, curves slowly upwards, and again downwards, to the posterior extremity of the 

 humeral plates, just described, then, taking the middle of the side, pursues a straight 

 course to the centre of the caudal, whence it is evidently prolonged as the Ion o'er 

 caudal filament ; from the humeral plates it gradually becomes furnished with more and 

 more distinct broad longitudinally-flattened spines. 



Dorsal small, triangidar, the central rays the longer; directed sharply backwards. 

 Situated on posterior sixth of flsh. Less than one half as broad as long. 



Pectorals also in breadth less than one half their length ; quadrangular, and of mod- 

 erate size ; situated just posterior to the opercle. 



Ventrals very small, oblong, three eighths of the distance between pectorals and anus. 



Anal just beneath dorsal, with which it is identical in size and shape. 



Caudal deeply forked. From its central point, and in continuation of the lateral line, 

 arises a delicate jointed filament, in length nearly half that of the body ; not far from 

 its extremity this filament seems to have been broken in the specimen described, o-ivino- 

 rise to little diverging threads, which were described by Dekay, from the same speci- 

 men, as natural bifurcations. Just beneath the long filament, and from its base, arises a 

 second, one sixth its length and much more delicate. 



The fin rays are as follows : — D. 14. P. 16. V. 6. A. U. C. 16f . 



Length, exclusive of filament, nineteen inches. 

 " including filament, twenty-eight inches. 



Remarks. The only specimen I have seen of this species was procured at Holmes's 

 Hole by the late Dr. Yale of that place. It belongs to the cabinet of the Boston So- 

 ciety of Xatm-al History. It served for the description contained in my Report. I 

 loaned it to Dr. Dekay, who described and figured it in his Report on the Fishes of New 

 York. I now redescribe it, and Mr. Sonrel furnishes an admirable drawinjr. 



