FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 141 



The lateral line, commencing at the anterior inferior angle of 

 the under eye, curves backwards and upwards just behind the 

 eyes, until it reaches the upper edge of the gill-covers, when 

 it passes backwards in a straight line to the rays of the caudal 

 fin, curving only very slightly over the pectorals. This lateral 

 line is perfectly smooth. 



The Dorsal fin commences anteriorly to the middle of the 

 upper eye, and increasing in the height of its rays towards the 

 middle, decreases from that point gradually towards the caudal 

 fin, a short distance in front of which it terminates. 



The Pectorals are situated just beneath the posterior angle 

 of the operculum ; their length to their height is as 1 to 4. 



The Ventrals, of moderate size, arise on the same plane with 

 the Pectorals. 



At the commencement of the Anal fin, a projecting spine is 

 situated, nearly concealed by the flesh. 



The Anal fin arises back of the pectorals ; its rays increase 

 and diminish again in height like those of the dorsal fin, and 

 the fin terminates on the same plane as the dorsal fin. 



The Caudal fin, when expanded, is one third deeper than 

 high. 



The rays are : D. 65 ; P. 10 ; Y. 6 ; A. 48 ; C. 17. 



P. ferruginea. Nobis. The Rusty Dab. 

 Plate II. 



This species is occasionally brought to our market, in the 

 winter season only j it is taken in about thirty fathoms of 

 water. 



From a fine specimen caught at Cape Ann, and brought to 

 Boston market, Dec. 30th, 1837, eighteen inches in length, 

 and six and a half inches in its greatest depth, the following 

 description is drawn up. 



All the right side of the body is of a reddish slate-color, covered 

 with a great number of ferruginous spots ; these spots, irregu- 

 lar in their form and size, are scattered alike over the body and 

 head and fins. The left side is without spots, margined at the base 



