FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 87 



ble, besides supplying several of my friends, who agreed with 

 me. that, although its flesh was rather dry, it was much prefer- 

 able to that of the " Bostoniensis.''' The largest of these 

 specimens was twenty inches in length, and weighed three 

 and a half pounds. From a specimen fifteen inches in length, 

 the following description is made, as being more nearly like 

 the specimen from which Le Sueur drew up his description, 

 than the larger specimens. 



Color of the back, black ; sides reddish yellow, with black 

 blotches ; beneath, white, with golden reflections. Scales 

 moderate in size. Head quadrangular, one fifth the length of 

 the fish ; top of the head of a deeper black than the body. 

 Ei/es moderate, oblong ; pupils black ; irides golden. Mouth 

 large ; corrugations of the lips very large, particularly those of 

 the lower lip. The lateral line arising back of the operculum, 

 on a line opposite the centre of the eye, makes a very slight 

 curve downwards, and then pursues nearly a straight course to 

 the tail ; it is composed of sixty scales. Back, between the 

 head and dorsal fin, rounded. 



The Pectoral, Ventral and Anal fins are reddish. 



The Caudal and Dorsal, blackish. 



The Dorsal fin in height is equal to two thirds its length. 



The third and fourth rays of the Anal fin, which are longest, 

 extend a little on to the rays of the caudal fin. 



The fin rays are as follows : D. 13 ; P. IS ; V. 9 ; A. 8 ; 

 C. 18. 



In two of the eight specimens, there were but twelve rays 

 in the dorsal fin. 



In larger specimens than that just described, the back is not 

 black, but, together with the sides, is of an olive brown color ; 

 in others again, the back is neither black nor olive brown, but 

 reddish, like the sides ; in some specimens, a longitudinal band 

 of a deeper red than the rest of the side, runs the whole length 

 of the fish, just beneath the dark-colored back. The golden 

 tints reflected from the opercula, and the scales along the 

 entire sides of this species, give it a very brilliant appearance. 

 It is known by the common name of " Black Sucker. ^^ 



