FAMILY GOBID.E. 155 



GENUS ZOARCES. Cuvicr. 



Bodij elongated, and covered, with a mucous secretion, in tvhich are imbedded very small 

 scales. Dorsal, anal and caudal united ; no spinous rays in the dorsal, except on its poste- 

 rior part. Vcntrals jugular, small. Vent with a tubercle. Teeth conical; in two or 

 three rows in front ; in a single row on the sides ; none on the palate or tongue. Branchial 

 rays six. 



THE THICK-LIPPED EEL-POUT. 



ZOARCES ANGUILLARIS. 



PLATE xrvi. FIG. 45. Anc view of the mouth and undek siee.— (STATE COLLECTION. CABINET OF THE LYCEUM.) 



Blcnnius ati-^iiUaris. Peck, Mem. Am. Ac;ul. Vol. 2, part 2, p. 46, figure. 

 Large-tipped Btenny, B. labrosus. MiT. Lit. and Phil. Soc. Vol.1, p. 375, pi. I, fig. 7. 

 Le Zoarces a grosses levres. Cnv. et Val. Hist, des Poiss. Vol. 11, p. 466, pi. 341. 

 Z. anguiUans, The Eel-shaped Bknny. Stoker, Massachusetts Report, p. 66. 



Characteristics. Dark olive-brown, varied with dusky blotches. Dorsal and anal fin margined 

 with rufous. Length two to three feet. 



Description. Body elongate, cylindrical, compressed, and tapering to the tail. Upper lip 

 very large and fleshy, overhanging. Siu-face smooth and slimy ; with obscure traces of a 

 lateral line, which has a slight curve above the pectorals, and then passes off straight. Nos- 

 trils tubular, about midway between the eyes and the end of the snout. Teeth stout, conical ; 

 those behind more acute, and all with smooth points and a slight circular furrow around the 

 base, and also furrowed longitudinally at the base. On the upper jaw, three series of teeth 

 in front, of which those in the foremost row are largest ; in the lower jaw, the internal row 

 has four, and the intermediate row three teeth. Stout conical teeth on the pharyngeals, but 

 none on the palate or tongue. Eyes rather moderate in proportion to the size of the fish, and 

 about midway between the end of the snout and the origin of the dorsal fin. Brancliial aper- 

 ture moderate, with six rays. 



The dorsal fin commences anterior to the base of the pectoral, is long and low, and unites 

 indirectly with the caudal ; it is highest in front, and very gradually diminishes posteriorly 

 until it approaches near the tail, when it suddenly subsides, and exhibits eighteen short spinous 

 rays, which become continuous with the caudal. Pectorals broad and rounded, of twenty rays. 

 Ventrals very small, four-rayed. Anal fin long and low, not as high as the dorsal, composed 

 of about one hundred and five rays, which arc almost impossible to separate from the caudal. 

 Caudal fin pointed. 



Color. Olive-brown above, clouded with deeper brown. Head darker, with black blotches 

 irregularly distributed on the side. Sides of the body with obscure dusky marks. Dorsal 

 fin with dull distant spots ; its upper margin, as well as that of the anal, dusky rufous. 

 Pectorals tinged with orange. Irides ashen, tinged with red. 



