OF THE UNITED STATES 



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form. The body of the fish is much compressed, and it, together 

 with the tail, is overlaid with osseous plates, the borders of which 

 form raised transverse wings, armed with spines or tubercles. 

 The neck is curved, so that the axis of the head is placed at 

 nearly a right angle with the long axis of the body. Spines also 

 ornament the head. It will be seen that the dorsal fin is the 



FIG. J 9. THE SEA-HORSE (Hippocampus heptagonus). 



By the Author, after Goode. 



largest, while the others are very small. An egg-pouch is pres- 

 ent in the male. The mouth is very small, and is found at the 

 extremity of the elongated snout, while the orbits for the eyes 

 are nearly circular. In color, our common sea-horse is of a yel- 

 lowish brown, darker dorsally. Some small pale spots are found 

 upon the sides, with the cheeks showing light brown lines of a 

 radiating character, and wavy. 



