62 FISHES OF THE CONNECTICUT LAKES. 
of first fin; pectoral mottled brownish, blackish toward base, the brown en- 
tirely on rays and not on membrane. These markings evident only in the larger 
examples (about 3 inches), the smaller ones having all the fins nearly trans- 
parent; a slight brownish and darkish mottling sometimes showing at base or 
lower half of pectoral and similar marking on soft dorsal. Most of the ex- 
amples show 5 or 6 dark marbled cross-bands on body, though these vary 
greatly and are not alike in any two examples; head marbled with narrow 
streaks of brown or grayish brown, this extending posteriorly sometimes the 
entire length of body, the bands being darker than this marbling. The colors 
vary greatly, no two specimens being exactly alike. 
Of 10 specimens from Mud Pond Brook, ranging in length from 2.37 to 2.87 
inches, the head in length to base of caudal ranges from 3.22 to 4.138, average 
3.42; eye in head 3.22 to 4.50, average 3.81; length of pectoral 0.95 to 1.28, 
average 1.12; dorsal vil or vii, 16 to 20; anal 10 or 11. 
Distinguished from the cusk by its broader head and pectoral fins and the 
presence of a small spine on the gill-cover (preopercle) and the absence of 
barbel at tip of lower jaw. 
The names of the fish are mainly characteristic of its appearance, 
and ‘“ millers-thumb ” and “ star-gazer” are obviously appropriate. 
It is sometimes called “ brook cusk” or “ rock cusk” from fancied 
resemblance to the cusk. It is, however, not a cusk, but a fresh- 
water representative of the sculpins of salt water. A good name for 
it would be fresh-water sculpin. 
Its recorded range is streams of New England and New York, 
tributaries of the Connecticut, Lake Champlain, Hudson, Delaware, 
and Susquehanna rivers. 
In some waters this species attains a length of several inches, but 
the majority of the individuals are small, though somewhat larger 
than those collected in First Lake. 
It feeds mostly upon insects, insect larvee, and other small aquatic 
animals, and has been accused of eating fish ova and newly hatched 
young. The stomachs of some collected in Mud Pond Brook, July 
12, contained insect larve, mostly of the black fly. The blob is itself 
sometimes eaten by other fishes, and might make a useful bait. 
The easiest method of catching it is by means of a wire minnow 
trap. 
6 
22. Bursor. Lota maculosa (Le Sueur). 
Head 4.03 in length without tail; eye 9.54 in head, snout 4.06; dorsal 14-74; 
anal 71; scales 240. 
Head depressed, rather broad; anterior nostrils each with a small barbel; 
chin with a long barbel; snout and lower parts of head naked; mouth moderate, 
the distance from tip of snout to posterior extremity of maxillary 2.25 in head; 
lower jaw included, mandible 2.01 in head; each jaw with broad bands of equal 
villiform teeth; vomer with a broad crescent-shaped band of teeth; no teeth 
on palatines; gill-openings wide and connected, but free from isthmus; 
branchiostegals 8 on right side and 7 on left; gillrakers short 1+7 on right 
side and 1+8 on left. Body long and low, somewhat depressed in front, com- 
