4* 



hind operculum. D. X-I, 32; A. II, 12. Scales BO. Length 

 12 inches. 



Eastern coast of the United States ; anadromous ; often 

 associated with the white perch. A very solidly built fish, 

 powerful for its size. 



Family Cottidae. 



Scuupins. 

 Body elongate, tapering to the rear. Head broad and 

 depressed, sometimes armed with spines. Byes high and 

 closely placed ; preopercles armed with spines. Teeth 

 feeble, in villiform bands ; body naked or irregularly scaled, or 

 warty; anals spineless; pectorals large; ventrals thoracic; 

 dorsals generally separate. A large and mostly marine family 

 of wide distribution. In their movements they are sudden and 

 jerky. Our fresh water Cottids are greatly alike. 



Cottus gracilis (Heckel.) 

 Star Gazer; Blob. 



Body slender; head broad ; fins large ; mouth large ; preop- 

 ercular spine short and bent upwards. Olivaceous, blotched 

 and mottled, top of first dorsal red-edged. D. VIII-16; V. I, 

 3; A. 12. Length 3}4 to 4 inches. Somewhat darterlike in 

 appearance, voracious, delights in strong currents. 



Found in the northeastern States. It is very plentiful in 



the head streams of the Hackensack and Saddle Rivers in New 



York and New Jersey, in company with black-nosed dace and 



darters. 



Family Gadidae. 



Cod-fishes. 



Body elongate ; mouth large. Scales small, cycloid ; vertical 



fins .separate, dorsals one to three, anals one or two. No spines 



in fins. Tail isocercal. Air bladder present Sometimes a 



barbel. A large family, marine with few exceptions and mostly 



of boreal distribution. With the herrings, the most important 



fish family in our economy. 



Hicrogadus tomcod {Walb.). 

 Tomcod; Frost Fish. 

 Snout rounded, with a small barbel ; three dorsals and two 



