480 TEN YEAES IN SWEDEN. 



that this is clearly identical with the British fish, and that 

 the number of ten dorsal spines, from which the fish derives 

 its name, is by no means constant, for I have myself taken 

 out of the same shoals examples with eight, nine, and ten 

 spines, and Ekstrom himself remarks in the beginning of 

 his description, ' ' Through eight to ten free spines on the 

 back, this species differs from the foregoing ;" and in de- 

 scribing the summer dress, he says : ' ' The whole of the 

 upper part of the body very olive green, under parts paler 

 green, with a yellow tinge, which under the head and at 

 the roots of the pectorals becomes more ruddy." Widigren 

 observes : " Is often found with but seven spines." 



Ekstrom' s figure was from a fish taken at Haparanda in 

 June. It was a large specimen, in full summer tints. 



Gen. Spinachia, Cuv. 



Ventrals with two soft rays ; lateral line armed with 

 large carinated scales ; body five-cornered to the anus ; head 

 not unlike the pike. 



23. SPINACHIA VULGARIS, Cuv. Tang Spigg. The Fifteen - 



spined Stickle-back. D. F. 



Fifteen free spines on the back ; the largest of the 

 genus 6 in. long ; confined to the sea ; frequent most 

 of the Scandinavian coasts, the Cattegat, Baltic, 

 and North Sea; very rare in Finland, and not men- 

 tioned in Widigren's list of fishes met with in Lulea 

 Lapland. 



FAM. 3. SCI^NIDJ]. 



Bones of the head and face deeply pitted ; two dorsals ; 

 preopercle serrated ; opercle with spines ; no teeth on the 

 vomer or palatines. 



Gen. Scicena, Cuv. 



A row of strong pointed teeth in each jaw ; anal fin, with 

 only one small spine ; no barbule under the chin, as in 

 the umbrina which the scicena much resembles ; large 

 sea fishes ; two dorsals, the first spurious ; scales large ; 

 more like the chub in the shape of the body than the perch. 



