Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America, 2003 



twice as high as nrst, the membrane between the rays deeply incised, the 

 anterior rays projecting for nearly \ their length beyond the membrane, 

 the membrane following around the edge of the projecting rays, the rays 

 scabrous on their sides; anal oblong, but more angular than in female, 

 the longest ray reaching from snout to posterior edge of orbit; the mem- 

 brane between the first 4 rays <jnite deeply incised, outer edge of rays 

 scabrous; ventrals reaching | to vent, the inner ray longest. 



Color. In the young the color is gray above and white beneath, a dark 

 s addle marking over the back at the center of the first dorsal; another 

 similar marking under the anterior, and another under the posterior end 

 of the second dorsal; a dark spot the size of the eye on top of the caudal 

 peduncle and midway in its length (the young may be distinguished at a 

 glance by this marking on top of the caudal peduncle) ; a V-shaped marking 

 at the base of the caudal with the angle of the V on the lateral line and 

 directed forward; this marking in the older specimen extends forward into 

 the peduncle spot; the caudal is marked by 2 vertical wavy bands on 

 its posterior halt', the first one the wider, the last one at the tips of the 

 rays; these bands are solid, extending across the rays and membrane; the 

 pectorals are dark at the base, the rest marked by 3 vertical black bars; 

 the first dorsal is slightly dusted with black, the second is slightly mot- 

 tled with black, but with no bars; the anal has 3 or 4 vertical dark bars. 

 In the adults the general appearance of the tish is very much darker, 

 almost black; the lower parts are light; the markings are not so distinct; 

 the fins except the ventrals are all dark, and the markings on the pectorals, 

 caudal, and anal run together into solid black; the lower parts, especially 

 in the males, brilliantly colored with red. (Scofield.) Arctic waters of 

 America, from western Greenland to Bering Straits. This fish seems to 

 dift'er from Oncocottus quadricornix from the Baltic Sea, having a longer 

 maxillary, longer pectorals, and a square-cut caudal fin. All these charac- 

 ters are of doubtful value, and the species may be the same as the European 

 (). quadricornit. We can find no good difference between our specimen and 

 a small one from Arctic Bay, western Greenland (received from Prof. 

 D'Arcy W. Thompson). The fish figured by Nelson as Coitus quadricornis 

 (Nelson, Natural History of Alaska) is probably the same as the one here 

 described, but according to the .figure there are several differences. 

 Scofield and Scale found this fish very abundant along the shores of Her- 

 chel Island. It was about the only fish to be found where the bottom was 

 muddy. A few young were taken at Point Barrow, and at Port Clarence, 

 both young and old; 3 of the young were found in the river back of 

 Grantly Harbor. (|, six; cornit, horn.) 



Coitus hexacornis,* RICHARDSON, Franklin's Journal, 1823, 726, mouth of Tree River near 

 Coppermine River (Coll. John Franklin); RICHARDSON, Fauna Bor.-Amer., in, 44, 

 1836; GiJNTHERCat., n, 1G6. 1860. 



Acanthocottus labradoricus, GIRARD, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hast, vi, 1850, 247, pi. 7, fig. 3, 

 Coast of Labrador. 



Oncocottus hexacornis, SCOFIELD, in Jordan &. Gilbert, Rept. Fur Seal Invest., 1898. 



* Cottus hexacornis, Richardson, was thus originally described: 



D. VII, 13; A. ; C. 12; P. 16; Br. 6. Head large and depressed. Eyes large. Six 

 club-shaped, or rather nail-shaped, processes stand erect on the top of the head, their 

 summits flattish, minutely cancellated, and scabrous; the smallest pair stand between 



