FISHES OF NEW YORK 609 



Body oblong, compressed, its greatest depth one half of total 

 length to end of middle caudal rays; least depth of caudal pe- 

 duncle one third length of head. Head nearly one third of total 

 length without caudal; eye small, placed high, one fourth as long 

 as the snout, and one fifth as long as the head; mouth small, 

 terminal, the maxillary as long as the eye. Dorsal origin 

 slightly behind vertical of hind margin of orbit; base of spinous 

 dorsal one fourth of total length without caudal; first spine 

 longest, one half as long as the head; second spine slender, one 

 third as long as the head; third spine stouter than second, one 

 ^fth as long as the head. An interspace between spinous and 

 oft dorsal. Soft dorsal base slightly longer than the head; the 

 third and fourth rays longest, as long as the snout; the last ray 

 shorter than the eye. Middle caudal rays one half as long as 

 the head; external rays five sixths as long as the head. Anal 

 opposite and similar to soft dorsal, its base as long as the 

 head, its longest ray one fifth of total length without caudal. 

 Pectoral short, one half as long as the head, reaching to below 

 third spine of dorsal. Ventral flap large, supported by several 

 slender pungent spines. D. Ill, 27; A. 25; scales 55 to 63 (58 in 

 specimen examined), about 38 in a transverse series from vent 

 upward and forward. Lateral line very inconspicuous, extend- 

 ing from the eye backward to below the third dorsal spine, 

 where it descends to a point nearly over the sixth or seventh 

 ray of the anal ; here it turns to form a V-shaped figure ascend- 

 ing to the median line and along the middle of the caudal 

 peduncle to the base of the caudal fin; a branch from behind 

 eye extends obliquely downward and forward to the breast 

 below pectorals; the lateral lines of the two sides are connected 

 by a cross branch at the nape. 



Color in life olive gray; a more or less distinct darker cross- 

 bar under front of second dorsal and one under last ray; some 

 small violet spots on upper part of back; usually a ring of blue 

 spots, alternating with olive green streaks, about eye; violace- 

 ous marks on sides of snout; first dorsal spotted and clouded 

 with bluish; second dorsal pale yellowish with clear sky-blue 



