FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 13 



Body above lateral line of a slate color, with a few black 

 spots irregularly distributed ; sides lighter, with a reddish tint ; 

 abdomen, white. Besides the lateral line which is very obvi- 

 ous, a broader brownish line runs parallel to it beneath, arising 

 under the humeral spine, and running the greater part of the 

 length of the body, broken at its posterior extremity into inter- 

 rupted points or spots. 



Length of specimen, nine inches : length of head, nearly 

 three inches : head broader than the body ; its depth equal to 

 half of its length. Head is made up of seven distinct bony 

 plates covered with sparse small black points, which form a 

 perfect helmet of defence. The whole upper part of head 

 occiput, space between eyes, and anterior portion to snout, 

 composed of one plate this portion is roughened, throughout 

 its whole extent by irregular corrugations, and terminates pos- 

 teriorly in two strong spines ; minute spines are seen also above 

 eyes, at their upper anterior and posterior angles : this plate is 

 anteriorly widely but not deeply truncated. The operculum 

 is a separate plate, of an irregular triangular form, having two 

 spines at its posterior extremity the lower larger, and point- 

 ing directly back ; the upper pointing upwards : operculum 

 covered with striae, radiating from the anterior portion on each 

 side of the spine towards the circumference. Opercle separated 

 from preopercle, by a membrane, which enables it to be quite 

 moveable : a wide membrane also borders its whole margin. 

 The preoperculum is rather small and triangular slighty move- 

 able divided at its lower portion by a horizontal serrated bony 

 ridge which terminates in a naked spine ; beneath this ridge, 

 the inferior portion is corrugated and granulated : from base of 

 preopercle, radii diverge to its upper portion. Suborbitar bones 

 roughened like top of head : cheek bones covered with elevat- 

 ed striae, slightly serrated upon their whole lower margin, and 

 strongly serrated anteriorly on each side of snout. 



Snout half of an inch wide four lines long naked situ- 

 ated in front of emargination of frontal bone. Eyes located 

 towards upper part of head oblong longest diameter equal to 

 the distance between eyes. Nostrils small situated half way 



