Fishes of Massachusetts. 383 
a balloon ; on land, three pairs of fins enable them 
to creep almost like small quadrupeds, the pecto- 
rals, from their position, performing the functions 
of hind feet, and thus they live out of water for 
two or three days. 
C. laevigatus. Cuv. The smooth Chironectes. 
Trans, Lit. et Philosoph. Soc. fig. ix. pl. iv. 
Several specimens of this fish were sent me from 
Holmes Hole, by Dr. Yale; all of them very small. 
From the largest individual, I have drawn up the 
following description : 
Length one and a quarter inches. Body very 
much compressed upon the sides, tapering from the 
head, where it is highest, to the tail. Color a dull 
white, with irregularly distributed dark brown 
blotches, or partially formed longitudinal bands, 
which are margined with a clear white: clear white 
spots upon the abdomen. Mouth vertical, very 
large. Eyes moderate in size. Jaws with nume- 
rous very minute teeth. A dark-colored flexible ray 
in front of, and between the eyes, with a slight 
filament suspended from its extremity ; back of this, 
a larger, stouter ray, with a membrane attached 
posteriorly ; this ray also supports a filament. Very 
slight cutaneous appendages beneath the lower jaw. 
The Dorsal nearly half an inch long, variegated 
by the continuation upon it of the black blotches 
upon the body. 
The Pectorals stout, about one fourth of an inch 
long, color of the dorsal. 
