UR 
AM 
Fishes of Massachusetts. 495 
E 
verse plates, divided by a longitudinal median fleshy 
line j these plates are light colored ; the entire disk is 
margined by a fleshy border of the same color as the 
back, from 1 to 4 lines wide; ; the under portion of 
the margin, surrounded by a white line. 
The Dorsal fin arises just in front of the middle of - 
the body ; it is of a dark slate color; the first ray is 
margined with white; this edging is continued up to 
and upon its tip, and the tip of the other rays, grad- 
. ually diminishing in its width at about the tenth ray, 
and becomes at last scarcely discernible. This fin 
is seven inches long. 
The Pectorals commence on a line with the pos- 
terior, four lamine of the disk; the fins the color of 
the body ; their length to their height as 1 to 3. 
The Ventrals are just back of the pectorals; 5 
rayed ; their length, equal to one sixth their height. 
he Anal fin arises on a plane with, and termi- 
nates upon the same plane as the dorsal ; like it, it is 
dark colored and edged with white ; its first rays, 
however, are higher than those of the dorsal. The 
anus is half an inch in front of the anal fin. 
The Caudal fin is nearly even at its extremity ; at 
its fleshy portion, anterior to the rays, it is four lines 
deep; at the commencement of the rays, one inch ; 
at the extremity, when expanded, three inches. 
The upper and lower extremity of the tail, white. 
The fin rays are: D. 29; P. 18; V.5; A. 30; 
18. 
I think this must be the “ naucrates ;” it i but 
twenty-one plates ; but slight variations may e cu 
edly occur in this, as well as in the “remora ;” in 
