MITCHILL ON THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 425 



fish, about three quarters of an inch thick. He is plump and smooth 

 generally. Back forms a neat regular curve. Belly an apposite cor- 

 responding sweep. Head neither rostrated nor blunt. Tail very slen- 

 der, and ending in a fin deeply forked. A marine fish, taken in the bay 

 of New-York. 



Lateral line bends upward about the thorax ; then turns downward 

 and runs straight to the middle of the tail. Soon after its curvature 

 it becomes mailed and spinous. The spines are short, and directed 

 backward. They are sharper and larger, and their bases wider as they 

 approach the tail. Thus the line itself widens in its course backward. 



Mouth moderate. Lower jaw rather thin and small. Teeth minute, 

 and may be said to be rather adapted to hold fast than to bite. Eyes 

 yellow, and rather large. A black spot frequently at the edge of the 

 gill-cover. 



Two dorsal fins, the foremost of which is spinous, and occupies but 

 little space. In front of it, a spine pointing forward. The hinder 

 dorsal filamentous, and continued almost to the tail. Two spines just 

 behind the vent, and from them the ventral fin extends also almost to 

 the caudal. A bony ridge reaching from the upper part of the nose to 

 the first spine of the back. 



Pectoral fins pointed ; ventrals small. 



Colour of the back greenish blue, with a yellow suffusion. Yellow 

 gilds the gill-covers, sides, and belly. The same golden hue also 

 tinges the second dorsal, caudal, anal, pectoral, and ventral fins, in 

 varying shades. The chin and gill-covers are whitened a little, and 

 white likewise appears a little along the belly. Tongue yellow, and 

 rather rough. 



Scales few, and easily deciduous. No zones, stripes, or spots any- 



56 



