252 FISHES. 



soft dorsal largest; pectorals large, without detached 

 rays; ventrals thoracic, near together, usually imperfect, 

 but developed in all our species; air bladder usually 

 absent. Genera about twenty; species about 70. Mostly 

 of the shores of northern regions; several small species 

 abounding in the fresh waters of Europe, Asia and North 

 America. In habits these fresh water species bear a 

 strong resemblance to the Etheostomoids. All of them 

 are singular looking fishes, and many of the marine 

 species are hideous in appearance. 



OBS. In the measurements given below, the total length of the 

 body is understood inclusive of the caudal fin, not to base of caudal 

 as in other cases. 



* Second dorsal moderately elevated, not remote from the first; 



preopercle with 1 to 3 spines. 



f No teeth on the palate (pharyngeal teeth present, as usual) ; ven- 

 trals 1, 3; size small (length 2 to 3 inches). URANIDEA, 1. 

 ft Palate with teeth; ventrals 1,4; size usually larger (length 



3 to 6 inches). 



\ Skin smooth, excepting usually a small patch of minute 



spines in the axils of the pectorals. POTAMOCOTTUS, 2. 



\\ Skin beset, especially above the lateral line, with small 



hooked prickles ; preopercle armed with a strong sharp 



spine, curved like a cow's horn ; back sub-carinate ; caudal 



peduncle slender TAURIDEA, 3. 



*** Second dorsal very high, widely separated from the first; pre- 

 opercle with 4 needle-like spines. . . TRIGLOPSIS, 4. 



/. URANIDEA, DeKay. MILLER'S THUMBS. 

 < Coitus^ Girard. 



* Slender, fusiform species ; depth 6 to 6i in length. 



1. U. gracilis, (Heckel) Putnam. MILLER'S THUMB. 

 LITTLE STAR GAZER. Tips of pectorals reaching fourth 

 ray of second D., and first of anal; head 4 in total 

 length; eye 4 in head; grayish, mottled. D. VIII 16, 



