HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 23 



the fleshy portion of the tail but four ; two of these elevated, bounding the edge of the 

 back and abdomen, and the others, much less raised, between them. 



The length of the head to the termination of the subscapular spine equal to more 

 than one third the entire length of the fish. Head above bony, very broad, granulated 

 throughout, deeply emarginated behind, concave between the eyes, and terminating 

 posteriorly on each side in very pointed subscapular bones, which have an elevated 

 ridge passing through their centres. Suborbitar bones emarginated posteriorly ; their 

 posterior superior angle passing upward and backward to the centre of the orbit of 

 the eye ; their posterior inferior angle is continued backward in a sharp point to the 

 preoperculum ; the inferior edge of this inferior portion is slightly denticulated, the 

 teeth looking forward. 



A branch of the preoperculum marked with vertical striae passes upward above 

 the termination of the posterior superior angle of the suborbitar bone ; its posterior 

 angle terminates in a long spine, which passes backward to the posterior half of 

 the subscapular bone ; this spine is strongly serrated upon its outer edge, denticulated 

 upon its lower edge, and granulated along its base. The operculum small, triangular, 

 scaled. The eyes are large and circular. The nostrils are double, and of nearly 

 equal size ; the anterior and inferior is tubular. The mouth is small ; the lips are fleshy. 

 The lower jaw is the shorter. Both jaws armed with several rows of small conical 

 teeth ; minute teeth exist also in the pharynx. Snout blunted. 



Just anterior to the spinous rays of the first dorsal, and higher than they, are two 

 membranous rays opposite to each other and connected at their bases. 



The first dorsal is of a triangular form, the posterior rays being higher than the first. 

 This fin, when closed, is received into a groove. 



Between the first and second dorsal fins is a short, stout, triangular spine. Directly 

 back of this spine arises the second dorsal, which is quadrangular, and has its rays 

 connected together by an exceedingly delicate membrane. Its six anterior rays are 

 simple. 



The pectorals are very broad when expanded ; and reach, when closed, the fleshy 

 portion of the caudal fin. The shortest rays are the six which are separated at the 

 anterior portion from the fin, save at the base, where they are connected to it by a 

 membrane. The central rays of this fin are the longest. 



The ventrals are beneath the pectorals ; their height is about equal to that of the 

 first six rays of the pectorals ; the third and fourth rays are the longest. 



The anal is situated beneath the second dorsal. 



The caudal is deeply concave ; with two elevated scales, looking like finlets, ap- 

 proximating each other at its base. 



