MITGHILL ON THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 407 



The back rises with a considerable sweep from the upper lip, and 

 supports a single fin, that lowers into a furrow. This fin consists of 

 twenty-eight rays, the first twelve of which are spinous. 



The gill-covers are scaly, and the cheeks marked with the ochreous 

 streaks which distinguish the back and sides. The eyes are pale, with a 

 dash of dark across them. iJps armed with rows, and throat with 

 patches, of teeth. 



The tail is moderately forked, or gently lunated, and consists of 

 about eighteen rays. 



The gill membrane has seven or eight rays ; the ventral fins five ; the 

 anal seventeen, of which the two foremost are spinous ; the pectoral 

 seventeen. Of these the pectorals are faintly yellow ; the rest pale. 



10. Pale Labrus. (Labrus palladus.) With uniform pale brown 

 sides ; a dusky tinge on the posterior edge of the gill-covers ; and an 

 inky stain on the tips of the hinder dorsal and anal rays, and on the 

 middle rays, and toward the extremity of the tail. 



Length of the specimen under consideration, rather less than three 

 inches and a half; depth one inch and a quarter, without measuring the 

 fins. Is a deep fish, and shaped much like the pond sun-fish, or labrus 

 auritus. Caught near New-York. 



There is a remarkable uniformity in the colour of this fish. A light, 

 or pale brown, prevails from head to tail, and from back to belly ; with 

 no other interruption than a smutty dash at the hinder margin of the 

 gill-cover, and a dark shading at the extremities of the posterior dorsal, 

 anal, and caudal rays. 



The posterior lamina of the gill-cover is somewhat silvery. The 

 body well coated with scales disposed in regular rows. 



There is one dorsal fin consisting of twenty-one rays ; the first ten 

 of which are spinous, and the remaining eleven bristly and elongated. 

 The anal has thirteen rays, of which the three first are spinous, and 

 the rest elongated, to correspond with the dorsal. Caudal rather 



