444 MITCIIILL ON THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 



Body round cylindrically, and the belly somewhat flattened. Two 

 longitudinal, smoofti, and parallel ridges extend along the back to the 

 dorsal fin. 



A carinated line on each side of the belly, running from neck to tail, 

 rising over ihe ventral fin, and at the extremity of the anal bending up- 

 ward, so as to enter the caudal midway. 



Colour of the back a fine green. At the sides of it, lines of beautiful 

 blue, bordering upon purple. Sides and belly a splendid white. A 

 smutty patch on each side of the gill-covers, as if made by a bruise in 

 litting or pinching him with the fingers. 



, Vent very far back, and about two inches and a half behind the 

 ventral fins. Throat wide and greenish. Upper mandible articulated 

 moveably to the head. Nostrils large, and of a bright green. He is & 

 good fish to eat ; llnd his bones turn green by cooking. 



In an individual which I dissected, a full-grown esox pisciculus wa« 

 found half digested in his stomach. The alimentary canal is without 

 convolutions ; the intestine proceeding straight through. 



In other respects, this fish corresponds sufficiently well with tft*e 

 modern descriptions. An exclusive inhabitant of the salt water. 



Rays, Br. 14. P. 12. D. 15. V. 6. A. 18, C. 19. 



9. Bony-scaled Pike. (Esox osseus.) With square scales of a bony 

 hardness covering the skin with mail, a long rostrated and toothed bill, 

 and eyes placed far forward. 



A few years ago I had a large and complete specimen from Long- 

 Island, which agreed, in the main, with the descriptions extant. A 

 specimen that I examined in Scudder's Museum, is about three feet 

 Jong. 



