Fishes of Massachusetts. 323 
C. maculatus. Nobis. The spotted Wry-mouth. 
Three specimens of a fish evidently belonging to 
the Buccate Loricate have fallen under my obser- 
vation, for the reception of which I know of no es- 
tablished genus. I am compelled therefore to con- 
stitute a genus in which it may be placed. 
This I do with no slight reluctance ; and, anxious 
only to throw more light upon this branch of study, 
I shall feel highly gratified, should it be received 
and retained by succeeding Ichthyologists. 
The first specimen met with, was purchased by 
the * Boston Society of Natural History? some years 
Since, with several other species, and was said to 
have been taken in the outer basin of Boston harbor : 
— this specimen is still in the cabinet of that society ; 
it is about twenty-one inches long, and will serve 
for my description. It is of a dirty reddish white 
color, the cuticle having been removed before it was 
purchased. The second specimen, larger, of a red- 
dish brown color sprinkled over with dark brown 
blotches, was sent me by Mr. Jonathan Johnson, Jr., 
of Nahant, who took it while fishing in the vicinity 
of that place. The third specimen was taken from 
the stomach of a haddock, and kindly sent me by 
Mr. Holbrook, fishmonger in Quincy Market. This 
last specimen was twelve inches in length, of a dull 
flesh color, covered with innumerable very minute 
black dots, and above and beneath the lateral line, 
an interrupted row of dark brown blotches extended 
from pectoral fins to tail; these blotches larger at 
