20 NEW-YORK FAtTNA. 



GENUS BOLEOSOMA.* 



Two dorsal Jins. Operclc scaly, ivith a single spine. Preoperde smooth on the margin. 

 Six branchial rays. Nape depressed, contracted. 



THE TESSELLATED DARTER. 



BoLEOSOMA TESSELLATUM. 

 PLATE XX. FIG. S7. — (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Characteristics. Small, brownish, with oblong quadrate spots on its back and sides. Length 

 two to three inches. 



Description. Body cylindrical, tapering, covered with rough scales, which extend over the 

 opercular bones. Scales moderately large for the size of the fish, rounded ; truncated and 

 plaited in front, ciliate on the free margin. Lateral line tubular, broadly and regularly con- 

 cave, nearly medial. Head small. Nape smooth, and depressed at the basal line as if 

 strangulated ; thence ascending to the interorbital space, and descending rapidly to the tip of 

 the snout. Eyes large, contiguous, 0"12 in diameter, and less than their diameters apart; 

 the space between deeply furrowed. Nostrils double ; the posterior near tlie edge of the 

 orbit, the anterior with valvular margins. Opercle with a pointed membrane behind ; and in 

 advance of this, a small but robust spine. The preoperclc with a smooth margin, and rounded 

 at its angle. Branchial membrane with six rays. Mouth small, terminal, slightly protractile. 

 Very minute card-like teeth in the jaws, forming two or more series. Equally minute teeth 

 on the vomer, and anterior portion of the palatines. Tongue smooth. No swim-bladder. 



Dorsal fins two ; the first commencing on the anterior third of tlie head and body ; the first 

 dorsal with nine spinous rays ; the first ray slightly shorter than the second ; the third, fourth 

 and fifth, subequal, longest ; thence gradually diminishing to the last, whicli is supine, and 

 nearly hidden in the depression which contains the fin. The second dorsal fin arises 0" 2 

 behind this last, and contains fourteen branched rays longer than high ; liighest in front, where 

 it exceeds in height the spinous dorsal, and gradually diminishing behind, ending beyond the 

 termination of the anal. Pectorals pointed, hastate, the tip reaching the end of the first 

 dorsal ; composed of thirteen rays, the fifth and sixth longest, the inferior ray shortest. Ven- 

 trals small, arising posterior to the base of the pectorals ; composed of one simple and five 

 branched rays, of which the third is longest. Anal nearly as long as higli, composed of ten 

 rays, of which the first two are short. Vent under the origin of the second dorsal fin. 

 Caudal fin even, and is a powerful instrument, 0"45 in length. 



* From /3oXijr, a dart or javelin, and ffio(j.a, body. 



