Fishes of. Massachusetts. 409 
fleshy portion of the tail, one inch and a quarter. 
Length of the head, three inches. Back slightly 
arched, of a dark brown color; sides and abdomen 
of a beautiful flesh color, tinged with golden reflec- 
tions. Head bluish on the top; gill-covers silvery, 
with cupreous and flesh-colored tints, and edged 
with a brown membranous prolongation. Head 
naked; arch on the top of the head very slight; 
diameter of the eye rather more than one twelfth the 
length of the head ; distance between the eyes equal 
to one third the length of the head. Nostrils situ- 
ated higher than the eyes, and in front of them ; the 
posterior, the larger; the anterior, tubular. Jaws 
without teeth ; upper jaw juts slightly over the un- 
der. Scales upon the body large, transparent, round- 
ed at the summit, truncated at their base, exhibiting 
numerous striæ ; at the base of each scale, a fleshy, 
dark-colored membrane exists, which, projecting as 
far as the apex of the preceding scale, gives the ap- 
pearance of indistinct oblique bands across the fish ; 
scales smaller upon the back, and smallest upon the 
throat. The lateral line commences at the superior 
angle of the operculum, and curving downwards 
nine scales, pursues nearly a straight course to the 
tail. The lateral line is composed of fifty-one scales ; 
nine scales are situated above the lateral line in an 
oblique line from the origin of the dorsal fin, and six 
below the lateral line. 
The Dorsal fin arises on the anterior half of the 
body ; is nearly as high again as long; the first ray 
is one fourth the height of the second; the general 
VOL. IIL.— NO. III-IV. 34 
