COTTID^. XCV. 243 



FAMILY XCV. COTTID^E. 



(The Sculpins.) 



Fishes with the cheeks mailed (i. e. the suborbital bone 

 extending backward over the cheeks, articulating with 

 the preopercle) ; head broad, usually not externally bony, 

 but always more or less spinous; eyes high up, near 

 together; body sometimes scaly, or with a series of bony 

 plates, naked in all our species; dorsals usually two, 

 soft dorsal largest; pectorals large, without detached 

 rays; veiitrals thoracic, near together, usually imperfect, 

 but developed in all our species; air bladder usually 

 absent. Genera about twenty ; species about 70. Mostly 

 of the shores of northern regions; several small species 

 abounding in the fresh waters of Europe, Asia and North 

 America. In habits these fresh water species bear a 

 strong resemblance to the Etheostomoids. All of them 

 are singular looking fishes, and many of the marine species 

 are hideous in appearance. 



OBS. In the measurements given below, the length of the body 

 is understood inclusive of the caudal fin, not to base of caudal as 

 in other cases. 



* Second dorsal moderately elevated, not remote from the first ; 



preopercle with 1 to 3 spines. 



f No teeth on the palate (pharyngeal teeth present, as usual); ven- 

 trals 1, 3; size small (length 2 to 3 inches). URANIDEA, 1. 

 ff Palate sometimes with teeth ; ventrals 1, 4 ; size usually larger 

 (length 3 to 6 inches). . . . PEGEDICHTHYS, 2. 

 ** Second dorsal very high, widely separated from the first ; pre- 

 opercle with 4 needle-like spines. . TKIGLOPSIS, 3. 



/. URANIDEA, DeKay. MILLER'S THUMBS. 

 < Cottus, Girard. 



* Slender, fusiform species ; depth 6 to 6i in total length. 



1. U. gracilis, (Heckel) Putnam. MILLER'S THUMB. 

 LITTLE STAR GAZER. Tips of pectorals reaching fourth 



