346 PISCES (OSSEI) ACANTHOPT. [ASPIDOPHORUS. 



LENGTH. From ten to twelve inches. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Distinguished principally by four large, rough, 

 osseous tubercles, which take the place of the four occipital spines in the 

 C. Scorpius : head broader than in this last species; cranium broader 

 than long, and without the lateral ridges : first infraorbital much more 

 pitted, or hollowed out ; on the second, often a small spine : preopercle 

 with three strong spines; the uppermost longer than the others, and 

 bending a little outwards : spine on the opercle, as well as that on the 

 supra-scapular, likewise a little curved ; this last large : scales on the 

 lateral line, large, osseous, rectangular, with two concave impressions, one 

 above the other : above the lateral line a row of osseous tubercles, round, 

 a little raised in the middle, and finely granulated in streaks ; a few 

 others scattered beneath: in most other respects the two species are 

 similar : 



D. 714; A. 15; C. 11; P. 17; V. 1/3. Cuv. 



Individuals of this species, recently observed in the London market 

 amongst Sprats from the mouth of the Thames, are now in the British 

 Museum. Has not hitherto occurred in any other instance in our seas. 

 Common in the Baltic, and said generally to keep near the mouths of 

 rivers where the salt and fresh waters mix. Habits resembling those of 

 the C. Scorpius. 



GEN. 6. ASPIPOPHORUS, Lactp. 



20. A. cataphractus, Nob. (Pogge.) Dorsals con- 

 tiguous : upper jaw longest : chin and branchiostegous 

 membrane furnished with numerous thread-like filaments. 



A. armatus, Lacep. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. torn. HI. p. 222. A. Euro- 

 pseus, Cuv. et Val. Poiss. torn. iv. p. 147. Cottus cataphractus, 

 Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 451. Block, Ichth. pi. 39. f. 1. Don. 

 Brit. Fish. vol. i. pi. 16. Cataphractus Schoneveldii, Flem. Brit. 

 An. p. 216. Pogge, Will. Hist. Pise. p. 211. tab. N. 6. f. 2, & 3. 

 Armed Bull-head, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 217. pi. 39. Id. 

 (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. p. 293. pi. 43. Yarr. Brit. Fish, vol.i. p. 70. 



LENGTH. From four to six inches. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Distinguished from the Cotti by the osseous 

 plates on the body, which form longitudinal sharp angular ridges, and 

 render it somewhat octagonal : head broad, and much depressed : body 

 tapering behind : depth at the nape about one-seventh the entire length : 

 breadth across the head one-fourth : space between the eyes concave : 

 snout slightly recurved, and armed at its extremity with four small acute 

 spines directed upwards : upper jaw projecting over the lower : both jaws 

 with fine sharp velvet-like teeth : pharyngeans the same: tongue and palate 

 smooth : infra-orbitals with three blunt tubercles on their lower margin ; 

 beyond them a sharp spine directed backwards: preopercle with a similar 

 but larger spine; opercle small and unarmed: branchiostegous membrane, 

 as well as the chin, furnished with numerous small fleshy filaments in the 

 form of threads : body only octagonal from the vent to the termination of 

 the second dorsal and anal ; at that point the two uppermost carinse, and 

 the two lowermost, unite respectively to form one ; and beyond, the body 

 is hexagonal : the lateral line is first parallel to the upper series, then 

 takes a bend opposite to the vent where the second series commences, 

 and passing between this and the third, proceeds straight to the caudal : 

 four uppermost carina? roujjh and sharp: the four lower ones almost 



