FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. W 



Body above, of a reddish brown color, with irregular blotches 

 and shadings of a darker brown : beneath, nearly white. Bran- 

 chial membrane, fuliginous. The lateral line, arising between 

 the occipital spine and the posterior superior edge of the oper- 

 culum, is conspicuous throughout its whole length, but more 

 so at its origin, and is continued in a straight line to the mid- 

 dle of the base of the tail. 



Length of specimen thirteen inches : length of head three 

 inches : head slightly broader than the body : greatest width 

 of head two inches. The description of the bones of the head, 

 and situation of the eyes, of the ^^ strigatus," answers perfectly 

 to the species before me. Nostrils of moderate size, situated 

 half of an inch back of the extremity of the snout ; sides of 

 snout deeply serrated. Jaws armed with numerous teeth — 

 upper jaw, the longer. 



The first Dorsal one third longer than high — situated in a 

 conspicuous groove : the rays are spinous — the whole anterior 

 of the first three, serrated, and the upper portion of the fourth. 

 The connecting membrane is transparent, slightly dusky, 

 marked by oblique white lines, and has a large dark brown 

 spot between the fourth and fifth rays. 



The second Dorsal is as long again as the first. 



The Pectorals are large, broad, rounded — reddish brown 

 above — slate-colored beneath, with the exception of the pos- 

 terior two rays, which are white. These fins are more than 

 one third the length of the body. Just in front of, and beneath 

 the pectorals, are three yellow fleshy appendages, widened at 

 their extremities — the longest of which, is one inch in length ; 

 the shortest, half of an inch long. 



The Ventrals are reddish white. 



The Anal commences upon a line opposite to, and terminates 

 upon the same plane as the second dorsal. 



The Caudal fin is but slightly arcuated. 



The fin rays are as follows : D. 9-13 ; P. 14 ; V. 6 ; A. 13 ; 

 C. 14. 



Both these species are called ^'' grunter," from the peculiar 

 noise made by them. 



