34 HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



rays enveloped by a common membrane, runs nearly the entire length of the fish, and 

 unites, as well as the anal, with the tail. No ventral fins. 



C. MACULATUS, Nobis. 



Spotted Wry-mouth. 

 (Plate VIII. Fig. 6.) 



Cryptacanthod.es maculatus, Spotted Wry-mouth, Storer, Report, p. 28. 

 " " Dekay, Report, p. 63, pi. 18, fig. 50. 



" '< Linslev, Cat. of Fishes of Conn. 



" « Storer, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, u. p. 310. 



" " Storer, Synopsis, p. 58. 



" " H. R. Storer, Boat. Journ. Nat. Hist., vi. p. 254. 



Color. Body a dark reddish-brown tinged with violet. Abdomen and throat a 

 dirty grayish-white. A row or two of moderate-sized dark-brown blotches above the 

 lateral line, and another row immediately beneath it, extend throughout the greater 

 part of its length to the tail. Tip and sides of head, snout, and anterior portion of 

 under side of lower jaw, marked with smaller spots of the same color as those on 

 the sides. Pupils black ; irides golden. 



Description. Length of head about one sixth the entire length ; greatest breadth 

 about one half the length of the head. On each side of top of head, two prominent 

 bony ridges run directly back from posterior angle of eye to occiput. The posterior 

 angles of operculum and preoperculum ; the lower edge of preopercle ; the scapular 

 bones, — all seem like sharp points and edges concealed by the skin. The operculum 

 is large and triangular, covered by the skin, as is also the preoperculum, which presents 

 to the touch two sensible carina?. Eyes circular, deeply sunk in the projecting orbits ; 

 diameter of orbit about equal to distance between eyes. Nostrils tubular, situated on 

 the side of the prominent snout, just at the edge of the intermaxillary bones. Lips 

 fleshy; lower jaw projecting beyond the upper; mouth slanting obliquely downwards ; 

 numerous teeth in jaws and upon the vomer and palatine bones, — those on the back 

 part of the jaws recurved, while those in front are smaller and nearly straight. Gape 

 of mouth moderate. Branchiostegal membrane extended along and connected with 

 the sides for a short distance. Lateral line straight and interrupted. 



The dorsal fin arises above the posterior half of the pectorals, and is continued to 

 and united with the caudal ; all its rays are spinous and strong, concealed by a stout 

 and fleshy membrane ; the first few rays are shortest. 



The pectorals arise beneath the membrane of the branchiae ; they are fleshy, 

 small, and rounded. 



