288 LAKE SUPERIOR. 



and spinous, close together ; the third, or first of the soft and articu- 

 lated rays, is the largest. These latter bifurcate at the middle of 

 their height ; every bifurcation subdivides again at its extremity. A 

 small adipose fin is situated at about equal distance between the pos- 

 terior margin of the dorsal and the basis of the caudal. The caudal 

 is furcated ; it has eighteen rays, of which the longest are subdivided 

 three times at their terminal extremity. The anal is situated behind 

 the dorsal. This is a small fin, higher than it is long, with regular 

 and straight margins, composed of eight rays, of which the first, 

 shorter and more slender than the other, is undivided. The second 

 and eighth bifurcate only once, the five middle ones branch so far as 

 to show divisions of the third order. The ventrals are placed per- 

 pendicularly to the anterior margin of the dorsal, narrow at their 

 basis ; they soon widen to become oval with a regularly rounded 

 circumference. There are eight rays ; the four of the centre 

 thrice subdivided, those of the margins twice only, the first being 

 simple. The pectorals arise at a small distance from the branch- 

 ial opening and occupy almost all the lower part of the body. 

 They are elongated, oval, composed of twelve very slender thread- 

 like rays, subdivided thrice at least at the centre of the fin, the first 

 being simple. Its extremity reaches almost the middle of the dorsal. 



Br. 6 ; D. 2. 10 ; A. I, 7 ; C. 8, 18| ; V. 8 ; P. 12. 



The scales are large in proportion to the size of the fish. They 

 are little imbricated and of about equal size on the whole surface of 

 the body except under the throat, where they are a little smaller 

 and subcircular. On the sides their height is greater than their 

 breadth. The anterior margin is rounded ; their hinder margin 

 forms a very obtuse angle, and under the microscope it exhibits a 

 row of small needles, somewhat distant, and which seem to be im- 

 planted in this margin instead of appearing as serratures. This 

 type of scales comes near to that of my Corniger spinosus, and to 

 some genera of the cretaceous epoch. The concentric striae are very 

 distinct, but I could not perceive any radiating striae. 



The lateral line, nearer to the back than to the belly, extends 

 from the upper angle of the operculum, arches slightly upwards 

 towards the dorsal fin, and then descends again insensibly to the 

 middle of the tail, to terminate at the centre of its peduncle. 



