HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



75 



is armed with two spines ; the larger at its superior angle ; the second, much the smaller, 

 at its inferior angle. 



Eyes circular, their diameter equal to one sixth the length of the head. The gape 

 of the mouth very large ; the distance between the tips of the jaws, when distended, is 

 equal to one third the length of the head ; the upper jaw the longer ; both jaws are 

 armed with numerous, very small, card-like teeth ; similar teeth on the vomer and 

 pharyngeals. Nostrils tubular, just in front of the eyes. 



The first dorsal fin commences on a line above the pectorals ; it is rounded above, 

 about as long again as high. 



The second dorsal commences at the termination of the first ; appearing almost to 

 be united with it. 



The pectorals are very broad when expanded ; their length at base is less than the 

 height of the first rays ; roughened granulations may be perceived beneath several of 

 the rays of these fins ; the inferior rays are much the shorter and stouter. 



The outer ray of the ventrals is very stout. 



The anal commences just posterior to the second dorsal, and is shorter than that fin. 



The caudal stout, with the rays bifurcated at their posterior extremities. 



The fin rays are as follows: D. 9 or 10-16 or 18. P. 17. V. 3. A. 13. 

 C. 12|. Length about a foot. 



Remarks. In a monograph of the Genus Cottus, which he published in the " Pro- 

 ceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History," Vol. III., Mr. Charles Girard con- 

 sidered the Cottus variabilis of Ayres as the young of the Groenlandicus. At a subse- 

 quent period, having received from Mr. Horatio R. Storer a species of Cottus from 

 Labrador, he was enabled to decide that it was not the same as the species on our coast 

 which is known as the Groenlandicus, and consequently has retained Ayres's specific 

 name for the Massachusetts fish. So that what has been known by us as the Groen- 

 landicus is now to be called variabilis, and the fish so called by Ayres is the young. 



This beautiful fish is much less common than the Virginianus. Though the other 

 species is said to be a favorite food of the Greenlanders, this is not used with us. It 

 is frequently seen swimming upon the sandy bottoms of the numerous small coves of 

 Massachusetts Bay, and is taken with the hook while fishing from the rocks for the 

 Conner. Specimens of the young of this species were presented to me by Mr. Desor, 

 who procured them at the South Shoals, fifteen miles from Nantucket, with the 

 dredge, in eleven and a half, fifteen, and eighteen fathoms of water respectively, from a 

 bottom abounding with barnacles and membranipora. It is exceedingly voracious, de- 

 vouring all kinds of Crustacea, Mollusks, and Echini. In the stomach of one I found 



