66 MONOGKAPH OF THE PKESH WATER III. 



region provided with spines, and the latter are comparatively smaller and more 

 slender than amongst Cotti. There exist usually four of these spines, the upper- 

 most, the strongest, directed obliquely upwards. The second is directed backwards; 

 the third and fourth, the smallest, downwards. The branchiostegals are six in 

 number, as in Cotti and Acanthocotti. The gill openings extend from the head 

 obliquely down, each meeting its fellow from the opposite side under the medial 

 line of the head, so that there exists no isthmus at all. 



The greatest depth of the body is a little more than that of the head, and con- 

 tained nearly seven times in the entire length of the fish. The least depth on the 

 peduncle of the tail enters in the same length nearly twenty-three times, six times 

 in the length of the head, fourteen times in that of the body, and nearly three in 

 that of the caudal fin. The thickness is less than the depth, and diminishes very 

 rapidly backwards. 



The origin of the anterior dorsal is one inch and three-eighths distant from the 

 end of the snout. It is composed of seven rays with a basis of half an inch. The 

 first and last rays are the smallest, and nearly equal the one to the other. The 

 second, third, and fourth are much higher, and of nearly equal length also. 

 The second dorsal, much higher, is separated from the first by a space of three- 

 sixteenths of an inch. Its anterior ray is not higher than the last of the anterior 

 dorsal ; its greatest height is three times that of the latter. Its shape is angular. 

 It is composed of eighteen slender and undivided rays. The anaj commences 

 slightly in advance of the second dorsal; is about half the height of the latter, 

 uniformly convex on its outer margin, and composed of fifteen rays, all undivided, 

 the last one opposed to the fifteenth of the second dorsal. The caudal is rounded 

 posteriorly, with ten well developed rays, eight of which are bifurcated. The 

 ventrals are inserted under the pectorals, and in advance of the anterior dorsal, as 

 in Cotti. They are composed of three soft rays and a spiny one, and when bent 

 backwards, do not reach the anus. The insertion of the pectorals is crescentic 

 and close to the gill openings. These fins are not quite as long as the head, and 

 contain sixteen rays all undivided, the tip of the longest reaching nearly to the 

 second ray of second dorsal and of the anal. 



Br. 6. D VII.— 18. A 15. C 1. 1. 4. 4. 1. 1. V I. 3. P 16. 



The anus is at a distance of three-sixteenths of an inch from the first ray of the 

 anal and situated almost midway between the tip of the snout and the base of the 

 caudal fin, though a little more distant from the former. The lateral line is very 

 much developed and very conspicuous until the eighth ray of the second dorsal, 

 where it becomes less distinct, although running to the base of the caudal fin. The 

 skin is perfectly smooth. 



The ground color is uniform pale greenish-yellow, dotted and maculated with 

 black or brown on the head, back, and sides. The caudal, pectoral, and dorsal fins 

 are banded; the anal and ventrals, unicolor. 



This species inhabits somewhere in the depths of Lake Ontario, but has not yet 

 been seen or caught alive, either by fishermen, or by naturalists. The manner 



