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r Fishes of Massachusetts . 309 
of the first dorsal: rays orange-colored : length of 
a fin, less than height of first rays. Upon the under 
. side of several of the c^ of this i: are roughened 
granulations. "ues ux 
The Ventrals are Pall AR With three trans- b 
verse black bars. These fins are two inches in 
. .. length. 
wd i ~ The Anal fin is situated back of second dorsal, 
-~ and barred like that fin: its height half of its length. 
"The Caudal fin is half as high as long, rays 
black, the connecting membrane of the rays yel- 
lowish. 
The fin rays are as follows: D. 10-18; P. 17; 
So 23; 134: 16, 
T This species is exceedingly voracious; in the 
v stomach of one, I found three entire specimens of 
the Portunus pictus, of M nex A al in qoem 
J have seen large quantities of the Hei 
latus, and several species of algae.” 
C. Virginianus. Willoughby. The Common 
Trans. of the Lit. et Philosoph. Soc. N. Y. p. 380. 
Cuv. et Valenc. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. t. iv. p. 181. 
Fauna Boreali Americana, p. 46. 
Our most common species of Cottus,—the pest of 
the numerous boys and idlers who are constantly 
fishing from the wharves and bridges for “tom cod,” 
“ flounders,” and the other fishes usually taken at 
such localities,—Mitchell described under the spe- 
cific name of octodecimspinosus, and Cuvier retains 
