18 FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



C. Virginianus. Willoughby. The Commo7i Sculpin. 



Trans, of the Lit. et Philosoph. Soc. N. Y. p. 380. 

 Cuv. et Valenc. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. t. iv. p. 181. 

 Fauna Boreali Americana, p. 46. 



Our most common species of Cottus, — the pest of the nu- 

 merous boys and idlers who are constantly fishing from the 

 wharves and bridges for -'^om cod,''^ '^ flounder s,^^ and the other 

 fishes usually taken at such localities, — Mitchell described un- 

 der the specific name of octodecimspinosus, and Cuvier retains 

 this name, although he acknowledges the species had been 

 previously described by Willoughby, from a specimen sent him 

 from Virginia, by Lister. Even if the specific name distin- 

 guished it from the " C. Sco7-pms,^' which is not the case, both 

 species having the same number of spines, I should not have 

 hesitated to pursue that course which is generally acknowl- 

 edged to be the most honorable, and to have preserved the 

 name proposed by its first describer. 



Specimen before me, eleven inches long. Body much more 

 elongated than that of the " Groenlajidicns," of a light brown 

 color above, with darker irregular blotches, looking, when 

 carefully examined, somewhat like transverse bands. Lateral 

 line very prominent, commencing at scapular spine and run- 

 ning a straight course to tail, being less marked at its poste- 

 rior extremity. A few small tubercles upon sides near lateral 

 line. Tltroat pure white. Abdomen white, slightly tinged in 

 portions with fuliginous stains. 



Length of head, one third the length of body ; greatest 

 width equal to its greatest depth. Twenty spines upon and 

 about head ; ten on each side : all naked at their extremities. 

 Nasal spines small, recurved. Post-orbitar spines slightly 

 longer than nasals, pointing directly backwards, being hardly 

 raised from the top of the head. Occipital spines erect, but 

 slightly recurved, stouter than those just spoken of. Three 

 spines upon preoperculum ; that at posterior angle, ten lines 

 long, naked throughout its greatest extent, very stout, extend- 



