Fishes of Massachusetts. 373 
ginianus,” and it is undoubtedly eaten by many 
other fishes. 
This fish is sometimes met with, twelve inches in 
length. It is of a yellowish brown color, presenting 
. a waved appearance, with twelve or more ocellated 
black spots along the base of the dorsal fin, surround- 
ed with a lighter circle. The lateral line pursues a 
straight course. Length of the head, to the whole 
length of the body, as 1 to 5. Eyes small; pupils 
black ; irides bluish, with a beautiful red ring with- 
in. Mouth oblique when the jaws are closed. Mi- 
nute sharp teeth in each jaw. Back of the angle 
of the mouth, a brown band descends from the eyes 
to the throat. 
The Dorsal fin, which is but slightly raised above 
the back, commences on a line above the posterior 
angle of the operculum, and is continued to the tail, 
being composed of spinous rays entirely concealed, 
save their points, by the membrane. 
— "The Pectoral fins are reddish, arising back of the 
posterior inferior angle of the gill-covers. 
The Ventrals are very small, situated in front of 
the pectorals ; their outer rays spinous. 
'The first two rays of the Anal fin are spinous. 
All the fins rather lighter colored than the body 
of the fish. « 
The fin rays are as follows: D. 76; P. 11; V. 
deh; A. 42. C. 15. 
This fish is said to be eaten by the Greenlanders, 
but I have never heard of its being uad for food in 
New England. 
