HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 247 



the distance between the eyes is eleven inches ; the distance from the eyes to the tip of 

 the snout is ten inches. The nostrils are situated three and a half inches in front of the 

 eyes, and six inches from the tip of the snout. The gape of the mouth is very large. 

 Both jaws are armed with five rows of large, triangular, serrated teeth, — the front teeth 

 of the upper jaw about an inch and a quarter long ; toward the angles of the jaw they 

 are smaller. The teeth in the lower jaw are less wide than those of the upper. About 

 twenty-five teeth can be counted in each row. 



The branchial apertures vary from twelve to fifteen inches in length. 



The first dorsal fin is just back of the pectorals ; it is eighteen inches high, measured 

 over its outer edge, and thirteen inches long, four inches of its base being unattached ; 

 it is slightly emarginated posteriorly. 



The second dorsal fin arises thirty-one inches back of the posterior edge of the first 

 dorsal. This fin is four inches high and five inches long, three and a half inches being 

 unattached. 



The pectorals are thirty-two inches high, and rounded over their outer edge ; they are 

 fourteen inches long at their base, six inches of which are unattached. 



The ventrals are eight inches high at their outer edge, three at their middle, and five 

 at their posterior portion. They are nine inches long at their base, four inches of which 

 are unattached. 



The anal fin arises eleven inches posterior to the extent of the ventrals, on a line op- 

 posite the posterior portion of the second dorsal ; it is three and a half inches high, and 

 five inches long at its base, three inches of which are unattached ; its jiosterior edge is 

 highly emarginated. 



Just anterior to the caudal fin, upon the dorsum, is a groove two inches across, and 

 half an inch deep ; beneath this, upon each side, a prominent carina passes to the base 

 of the caudal fin. 



The caudal fin is large and strong ; it measures thirty-three inches over its upper lobe, 

 and twenty-six over its inferior lobe ; eight and a half inches anterior to the tip of the 

 larger lobe is a small triangular posterior. This fin measures thirty-three inches across 

 from the tip of its lobes. 



The specimen here described measured twelve feet eleven inches in length, and 

 weighed about fifteen hundred pounds. 



Length, thirteen feet. 



Remarks. That this is an exceeding rare species along our coast, is obvious from the 

 fact that I can learn of but three individuals having been seen by our fishermen during 



