HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 279 



suspended under the ethmoid bone, form the edge of the upper jaw. First ray of the 

 dorsal and pectoral fins usually a strong, articulated spine, with a complicated 

 movement. 



GENUS I. PIMELODUS, Ccv. 



Palate smooth and without teeth. Barbels varying from six to eight. Casque 

 occasionally present. 



PIMELODUS ATRARIUS, Dekay. 

 The Horned Pout. 

 (PLATE XX. FIG. 3.) 



Pimelodus nebuksus, STOKER, Report, p. 102. 



Pimelodus catus, STOKER, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, n. p. 402. 



" " " Synopsis, p. 150. 



Pimelodus atrarius, DEKAY, Report, p. 185, pi. 36, fig. 116. 



" " STOKER, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, n. p. 404. 



" " " Synopsis, p. 152. 



Color. The living fish is of a fuliginous color, darker upon the head and back, 

 approaching to black ; lighter upon the sides, which are tinged with a cupreous shade ; 

 white beneath in front of the ventrals; yellowish beneath the lower jaw and the under 

 portion of the branchiae. Irides silvery. Pupils blue. All the fins are dark-colored, 

 In the dead specimen the coloring matter readily rubs off; and the individual, even if 

 untouched, rapidly becomes of a lighter color. 



Description. Body elongated, compressed posteriorly; head flattened above; a 

 convexity anterior to the dorsal fin. Length of the head to the posterior angle of the 

 opercular spine, to the entire length of the fish, about as one to four. Greatest width 

 of head equal to about one sixth the length of the fish ; greatest depth of the fish 

 greater than the width of the head. Upper jaw the longer, both jaws furnished with 

 numerous small teeth ; eight cirrhi about the head ; that at the angle of the upper 

 jaw, on each side, much the longest. Two others are situated back of, and above 

 these, on each side; beneath the lower jaw are also four cirrhi, two on each side of its 

 middle, the outer the longer ; all the cirrhi of the same color. The eyes are circular 

 and very small ; distance between the eyes equal to about one half the length of 

 the head. Two blunted spines or processes on the humeral bones, the upper much the 

 smaller. The lateral line arises above the posterior angle of the operculum, and runs 

 a very slightly curved course to the tail. 



