Fishes of Massachusetts. 403 
rangular, one fifth the length of the fish; top of 
the head of a deeper black than the body. Eyes 
moderate, oblong; pupils black; irides golden. 
Mouth large; corrugations of the lips very large, 
particularly those of the lower lip. The lateral line 
arising back of the operculum, on a line opposite 
the centre of the eye, makes a very slight curve 
ownwards, and then pursues nearly a straight 
course to the tail; it is composed of sixty scales. 
Back, between the head and dorsal fin, rounded. 
'The Pectoral, Ventral and Anal fins are reddish. 
The Caudal and Dorsal, blackish. 
The Dorsal fin in height is egal to two thirds its 
length. 
The third and "indi rays of the Anal fin, — 
are longest, extend a little on to the e of the cau- 
dal fin. 
The fin rays are as follows: D. 13; = 18; D 
NE; A.S;5 CU. TS 
Ya two of the eight specimens, there were ravit 
, twelve rays in the dorsal fin. 
In larger specimens than that just described, the - 
back is not black, but, together with the sides, is of 
‘an olive brown color; in others again, the back is - 
neither black nor olive brown, but reddish, like the 
sides; in some specimens, a longitudinal band of a 
dpi red than the rest of the side, runs the whole - 
length of the fish, just beneath the dark-colored 
back. 'The golden tints reflected from the oper- 
cula, and the scales along the entire sides of this ' 
species, give it a very brilliant appearance. It is 
known by the common name of “ Black Sucker.” 
