* 
a 
Hd 
338 Storer on the 
Boston, were of the number of those originally 
brought from the south. 
The length of this fish is from eight to twelve 
inches ; length of head, one fourth the length of the 
entire fish; depth of body across from base of pec- 
torals, equal to one third its length ; width of body 
at base of tail, equal to one twelfth its length. 
Body very much compressed at sides; back gib- 
bous, gradually curving towards tail. General color, 
a beautiful silvery, varying with brown, reddish and 
blue. Abdomen white. Head destitute of scales, 
and of a purplish color from the commencement of 
the gibbosity just over the eyes, to upper and outer 
angle of eyes on each side, and thence within a 
line drawn from this part to the outer angle of jaws. 
Eyes large; irides silvery. Lower jaw shorter than 
the upper. 'Two rows of blunt teeth in back of 
jaws; those in front, sharp and prominent. Lips 
large and loose. Nostrils double; the anterior, 
smaller and cireular; the posterior, larger and ver- 
tical. Preoperculum and operculum covered with 
scales. A large semicircular scale of a beautiful pur- 
ple color, at the commencement of the lateral line: 
between this scale and the outer angle of the naked 
space, at the posterior angle of the eye, a band, half 
an inch or more in width, of smaller scales than 
those of the body, passing obliquely upwards to the 
anterior portion of the ridge of the back. The /at- 
eral line, commencing at the upper angle of the 
operculum and passing obliquely up to a point on à 
line with the fifth spine of the dorsal fin, curves with 
the body to the base of the tail. 
