1817.] GENUS HYDRARGIRA. 133 



P. 18.— D. 11.— V. 6.— A. 10.— C. 181 rays. 



This species is very common along the flat, muddy 

 shores of the river Delaware, in the vicinity of Philadel- 

 phia, where the Splatter Dock, Xymphea advena, and the 

 Wild Oats, Zizania aquaticuy abound. I owe the know- 

 ledge of it to Mr. G. Ord, who presented mc with the 

 specimens from which the above descriptions were taken. 



Mr. Ord informs 'me that the smaller fishes of this 

 species are eagerly sought after, in the spring, by the 

 Stone Snipe, Scolopax melanoleuca^ and the Yeilowshanks, 

 S, flavipes^ the flesh of which birds becomes thereby 

 tainted with a fishy taste, which destroys that delicate fla- 

 vour for which, when in good case, it is esteemed. 



Var.? At Sandwich, near Cape Cod, I procured a 

 fish, which has so general a resemblance to the last de- 

 scribed species, that I have concluded it to be only a va- 

 riety. The difference that the male presents is in the co- 

 lours of his trunks which is of a dark reddish brown on 

 the back and sides, and bluish on the abdomen; and in his 

 ventral and anal fins ^ which are white; there is likewise a 

 difference in the size of his dorsal^ anal^ and ventral fins^ the 

 two first of which are subequal, and the last very small. In 

 the female, the colour of the back is the same as that of the 

 male, her sides are paler, and her gill- covers reddish yel- 

 low; her abdomen^ dqrsal, analy and caudal fins bluish gray; 

 back spotted with black. The lower mandible of this va- 

 riety is subrectangular; the ventral fins of the female are 

 seated nearer the anal fin than in the male. 



P. 18.— D. 12.— V. '6.— A. 10.— C. 201 rays. 



4. H. nigrqfaciata. Dorsal fin and anal fin narrow 

 and elongated. 



The back of this species is considerably elevated op- 



