75 



scarcely any two individuals are precisely similar. The dor- 

 sal spine is stout, short, serrated, and has a furrow behind 

 it for its reception. Tail lancet-shaped, and nearly half the 

 length of the body. Length, 6 to 9 inches. 



; Fin-rays:— D. 1.38; P. 13; V. 0; A. 42; C. 12. 



A. cuspicaudaj (teste Gill.) 



Balistes cuspicauda, Mitch. Am. Month. Mag. II, p. 326. 



Aluteres cuspicauda, DeKay, New York Fauna, Fish. p. 

 3.38; pi. 59, fig. 192; Storer, Mem. Am. Ac. VIII, 1861, p. 

 427; (pi. 35; fig. 2.) 



Collected in the St. Mary's River, in small numbers. 



Acad. Coll, 



STEPHANOLEPIS, Gill. 



S. massachusettensis. 



The Massachusett's Fiel-Fish. 



Body oblong, very much depressed ; skin covered with 

 small stellated plates, which are so disposed as to feel slight- 

 ly rough only when the hand is moved towards the head. — 

 The strong, granulated, curved spine, representing the first 

 dorsal fin, is half the length of the head, and has a double 

 series of sharp, decurved teeth behind ; yellowish brown, 

 with faint abbreviated brownish blotches along the sides, 

 most obvious upon the upper portion. Length, 3 to 4 inches. 



Fin-rays:— D. 1, 34; P. 12—15; A. 30—34; C. 12—13. 



Monocanthus 3IassachuseUensis, Storer, Fish. Mass. p. 174, 

 and Mem. Am. Ac. VIII, p. 425, (pi. 34, fig. 4); DeKay, 

 New York Fauna, Fishes, p. 336; pi. 57; fig. 187. 



Enters Chesapeake Bay from the ocean. Belongs to the 

 region of salt Avater. 



VI-HIPPOCAMPIDi:. 



HIPPOCAMPUS, Leach. 



H. hudsonius. 



The Hudson River Sea-Horse. 



Body heptagoual, composed of twelve segments, armed 

 each side with three rows of prominent spines, formed by the 

 junction of the plates, and a single row beneath. On the 

 summit of the liead is a large lx)ny protuberance, terminating" 



