264 Bass, Pike, and Perch 



moderate teeth, its tip projecting ; maxillary reaching middle of 

 eye ; scales deciduous ; dorsal fin rather posterior, the ventrals 

 under its front. 



THE CUNNER 



(Tautogolabrus adspersus) 



THE cunner was named adspersus, meaning 

 "besprinkled," by Walbaum, in 1792, from the 

 description of Schopf, who simply gave its com- 

 mon name, burgall, in his " History of New York 

 Fishes," in 1788. Its specific name is in allusion 

 to the fancied mottled markings. It belongs to 

 the Labridcz family. Its habitat is the North 

 Atlantic coast from Labrador to Sandy Hook, 

 not appearing much farther south. 



The cunner is known by various other names, 

 as burgall, chogset, blue-perch, etc. It has an 

 oblong and rather robust body, its depth being 

 about a third of its length. Its head is about 

 as long as the depth of the body and pointed, 

 with a mouth of moderate size, well filled with 

 unequal, conical, and sharp teeth, in several 

 series. 



The coloration is variable, though usually bluish, 

 more or less mixed with bronze or brown, with 

 brassy sides and pale belly ; sometimes brassy 

 spots on the head and back; young examples 



