PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 151 



Cottus niger, n. a. 



Museum numbers 23929, 27952, and 27971. Collector's numbers 

 (1621), (1622), (1623), (1624), (1625). 



St. Paul Island, Bering Sea, 1872 (H. W. Elliott), and August 6, 

 1880 (Dall & Bean, from Mr. Armstrong). 



Br. VI ; D. IX, 15-17 ; A. 11-13 ; V. i, 3 ; P. 16-17. 



Two very blunt prominences above the snout entirely enveloped in 

 the skin in a specimen 10 inches long. No spines above the orbits or 

 on the occiput. The spines at the upper angle of the preopercle are 

 the only ones that are not covered up in the skin, and these are almost 

 hidden. The two uppermost preopercular spines are the only sharp 

 ones present. Top of head covered with fine skinny granulations and 

 the vertex with numerous slender tentacles. The place of the supraor- 

 bital spine is occupied by a soft tentacle of moderate length. The long- 

 est ijreopercular spine is as long as the eye, which is ^ as long as the 

 head to the end of the opercular spine, and equal to the width of the 

 space between the eyes. Snout equals length of orbit. Jaws equal, the 

 lower not at all received within the upper. Maxilla, longer than fourth 

 dorsal spine, equals one-half length of head to end of opercular spine, 

 and extends to hind margin of orbit. Head one-third, or slightly less 

 than one-third of total length, caudal included. Longest dorsal spine 

 is contained 7 to 9 times in total with caudal. The longest anal ray is 

 contained about 3 times in length of head. Caudal and ventral equal 

 to one-half length of head. Pectoral as long as post-orbital part of head 

 and does not reach the vent, which is in the middle of the total length 

 with caudal. Caudal rounded. Height of body at origin of dorsal is a 

 little less than its width at the base of the pectorals and is contained from 

 5 to 6 times in total length, caudal included. The spinous dorsal begins 

 at a distance from the tip of the snout equal to one-third of the total 

 length without caudal. Skin smooth. 



Colors of the alcoholic specimens : Very dark brown (almost black) 

 with a purplish tinge in some individuals ; sides mottled with lighter 

 brown and whitish and frequently bearing large, roundish white 

 blotches similar to those of the male G. gronlandicus. These white 

 blotches in some instances become confluent over the greater portion 

 of the belly. Posterior surface of the pectoral with white blotches 

 near the margin in some examples, and uniform dark brown in others. 

 There is no individual that is entirely free from white blotches. In 

 some examples the belly is dark, very little mingled with whitish. Lips 

 and lower surface of head in some examples have numerous nearly 

 black spots, the largest of which are not more than one-third as long as 

 the eye. The largest of the types is 10 inches long. 



Cottus niger has many points of resemblance to C. Brandti Steind., but 

 there are too many important discrepancies to allow me to identify it 

 with Steindachner's species. (1) the length of the head is not more than 

 ^ of total length with caudal in any of our li examples ; (2) the vomer- 



