26 HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



Acanthocottus variabilis, Girard. 



The Greenland Sculpin. 



(Plate IV. Fig 1.) 



Cottxts sccrpius, Fabricius, Fauna Groenlandica, p. 156, No. 113. 



Le Ckaboisseau du Groenland, (Cottus Groenlandicus,) Cuv. et Val., iv. p. 185. 



Coitus Groeidandicus, Greenland Bull-head, Rich., Fauna Boreal. Americ, in. pp. 46 and 297, and admirably figured, pi. 95. 



» « Greenland Sculpin, Storer's Report, p. 16. 



" " Greenland Bull-head, Dekay, Report, p. 54, pi. 4, fig. 2. 



" " Storer, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, n. p. 305. 



" " Storer, Synopsis, p. 53. 



Cottus quadricornis, Sabine, App. to Parry's First Voyage. 

 Cottus variabilis, Ayres, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., I. 1842, p. 69. 

 " " Ayres, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist., it. 1843, p. 259. 



Acanthocottus Groenlandicus, Girard, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., III. p. 185. 

 Acanthocottus variabilis, Girard, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist , vi. p. 248. 



Color. Upper part of the body dark brown, with large clay-colored blotches on 

 the top of the head and upon the gill-covers, with a few smaller ones on the back and 

 sides, and small circular yellow spots on the sides towards the abdomen. Large perfectly 

 white ocelli upon the abdomen, beneath the pectorals. Abdomen yellow tinged with 

 red, throat of a dull white color. The first dorsal fin of a dark-brown color, variegated 

 with yellow ; the second dorsal is brown, with several transverse yellowish bands • the 

 pectorals are marked with irregular transverse brown bands and yellow spots ; the rays 

 of this fin are orange-colored ; the ventrals are white, with three transverse dark-brown 

 bars ; the anal is marked like the second dorsal ; the rays of the caudal are black, 

 while their connecting membrane is yellowish. 



Description. Body oblong ; very stout anteriorly ; tapering towards the tail. 



The sides, both above and beneath the lateral line, are roughened by granulated 

 tubercles which feel like spines when the finger is drawn towards the head. 



The length of the head, measured to the posterior extremity of the occiput, is equal 

 to about one fourth the length of the body ; its width across the occiput equal to its 

 length ; its greatest depth equal to two thirds its length. The head is armed with several 

 spines ; those upon its top are blunted, those on the gill-covers are longer, with projecting, 

 sharp points. The nasal spines are sharp and recurved ; at the posterior superior angle of 

 the eye is a strong, slightly recurved, short spine, stouter than the nasal spine. Upon the 

 occiput are also situated two strong, blunt, and somewhat recurved spines ; between these 

 and the former is a quadrangular depression. The preoperculum has three spines, naked 

 at their extremities, two of which are situated at its superior angle ; the upper of these 

 spines is much the largest, and points upwards ; the second is smaller and nearly straight ; 

 the third and smallest, at its inferior angle, points directly downwards. The operculum 



