276 HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



an inch from each other, passing backward in nearly a straight line. When unattached 

 the mouth of this fish is a longitudinal fissure ; when attached it is circular, the lip 

 formino- a rino-, within which are situated numerous hard, horny teeth of a yellow color. 

 The anterior and the inner row of the lateral teeth are the larger ; the posterior teeth 

 are more numerous, and smaller. Mucous pores are seen upon the upper portion of the 



head. 



The first dorsal fin arises posterior to the middle of the body ; its height is less than 

 one sixth its length. 



The second dorsal fin is situated about an inch posterior to the first dorsal ; its greatr 

 est height is equal to about one sixth its length. This fin is continued to, and united 

 with, the caudal fin. 



The anal fin is a mere fringe. 



The caudal fin seems, like the extremity of the solid portion of the body, very much 

 compressed, or is an expansion of the dorsal and anal fins. 



Length, two to three feet. 



Remarks. This species is occasionally taken in Massachusetts Bay attached to pieces 

 of drift-wood and the bottoms of boats and larger vessels. In its spawning season, it as- 

 cends the mouths of rivers. In the Merrimac River, at Lowell, it is taken in large quan- 

 tities. I am indebted to the late Ehsha Bartlett, M. D., for the following interesting facts. 

 He wrote me, that " they ascend the rivers a little earlier than the shad, and move mostly 

 in the night. It is not known by the fishermen when they return, as they are never seen. 

 There is a notion that they all die. They are often seen in the Summer in pahs at work 

 together, constructing a little mound of stones. They build this about three feet in di- 

 ameter at the base, and about two feet high, of stones from the size of an ounce bullet to 

 that of the fish. They often aid each other in carrying the same stone. This is pretty 

 evidently a labor of love, as they copulate once in five minutes, or so, during the whole 

 time. The young go down the river when the water begins to freeze. They are from 

 six to eight niches long." 



Massachusetts, Stoker. Connecticut, Linsley. New York, Mitchill, Dekay. 



