Fishes of Massachusetts. 299 
gated—compressed—of a dark brown, almost black 
color above :—lighter beneath. Color of head, sea 
or bronze green—scales large. Length of fish, 1 
foot: greatest depth 34 inches. Length of head to 
posterior angle of operculum, one third the length of 
the fish: head between, and in front of eyes, 
smooth. #yes one half inch in diameter—less than 
the distance between eyes. Nostrils double—just 
anterior to anterior superior angle of eye—posterior, 
the larger. Jaws equal in length, armed with a 
great number of minute sharp teeth. Lips fleshy. 
Whole posterior edge of preoperculum, denticula- 
ted :—inferior edge serrated—scales upon preopercle 
smaller than those upon body. A smallspine at pos- 
terior angle of operculum, below which is a broad 
fleshy elongation projecting beyond it. Humeral 
bone denticulated. The lateral line arises at the 
lower edge of the humeral bone, and assumes the 
curve of the body. 
'The Dorsal fin arises about a line back of the hu- 
meral bone—its first ten rays are spinous, each hav- 
ing a fleshy tentaculum suspended from its extrem- - 
ity. 'T'he first ray is shortest—the third ray is lon- 
gest. The eleven fleshy rays are higher than the 
spinous ones:—the membrane of the whole fin is 
white, crossed by dark bars. 
The Pectoral fins arise just below the fleshy pro- 
jection of the operculum—their length to their 
height is as 1 to 4. 
The Ventral fins are in front of pectorals—the mid- 
dle rays are longest :—the rays are nearly black, 
while the connecting membrane is white. 
