BATRACHUS. 289 



head is wanting in some of the spines and warty 

 excrescences, so forbidding in them, it has a com- 

 pensation in the development of horny bumps, like 

 the crusts on a rhinoceros, and a dingy yellow skin, 

 marbled much like the preceding. 



On inquiring of the aged fishermen to whom we 

 showed the specimens, they were particularly fa- 

 miliar with them under the names ofmper sculpin, 

 horn sculpin, and toad sculpin. 



GEN. BATRACHUS. 



Grunting Bullhead, — Batrachus Grunni- 

 ens. Its name originated from the circumstance 

 of its making a grunting noise as it comes out of the 

 water, which is effected by the prodigious inflation 

 of the gills and side muscles of the mouth, similar 

 in office to the buccinators. The mouth is small, 

 with minute, almost concealed teeth ; but in the 

 fauces are large molar blocks, constituting a crush- 

 ing mill, of' a powerful order. A whitish color 

 predominates, shaded by dark bands. 



In the branchial membrane are seven rays ; sev- 

 enteen in the pectoral fin, six in the ventral, seven 

 in the anal, nineteen to twentyfive in the caudal, 

 and ten in the first, and twentyfour, ordinarily, in 

 the second dorsal ; under the tip of the lower lip 

 are cirri. About the length of the sculpin. 



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