ECHENEIS. 221 



thick, and of a bluish purple color, together with 

 rigid fins, they are rather uncouth in appearance. 

 Some attain the length of a foot and a half, but we 

 have not been fortunate in procuring a specimen 

 of more than twelve inches long. The head is ob- 

 tuse ; the tongue short ; teeth small and sharp ; 

 the gill membrane has four rays ; the operculum 

 is constituted of one piece only; the body thick 

 and totally destitute of scales ; the ventral fins 

 united. On the sides are dark, prominent spots, 

 but bordering on the abdomen they become lighter ; 

 the belly is of a bright red, in midsummer ; pec- 

 toral fins orange, shaded with a redisli tinge, and 

 the eyes are sparkling red. 



We are assured they are a very tolerable 

 article of food, but of the truth of the remark, we 

 have had no experience. 



Small-Lump-Sucker, — Cyclojpterus Minutus. 

 In one bottle we have several specimens of this 

 little fish, not exceeding three quarters of an inch 

 in length. They have the same holding appara- 

 tus in a miniature form, and may be known from 

 the young of the lumpus, by two white tubercles 



on the sides. 



i 



GEN. ECHENEIS. 



Sucking-Fish, — Eche?ieis Remora. Two 

 species of the remora are occasionally taken on 



