MITCHILL ON THE FISHES OP NEW-YORK. 463 



The scales themselves are bony, rough, and serrated behind, and very 

 distinct in their configuration. There are four scales between the vent 

 and the anal fin ; the two foremost of which make a pair ; and four more 

 between the anal fin and the tail, the two foremost of which lap over the 

 base of that fin in some measure, and support it. But sometimes there 

 are more, and at other times fewer. 



There is osseous matter ©n the sides of the snout, and a strip of the 

 same beneath it, reaching from the tip toward the mouth. 



The boys remark, that the gristle taken from the sharp-nosed sturgeon, 

 is much less elastic than that of the blunt-snouted, and that a ball made of 

 it does not bounce so well. 



Grows seldom to a greater length than five feet. Is found in the 

 Hudson plentifully, in the neighbourhood of Albany. My friend Si- 

 meon De Witt, Esq. informs me, " they are every year brought to the 

 market of that city, under the name of young sturgeon. I suspect them 

 to be of a different species, for two reasons. 1. Because there is no in- 

 termediate size between the largest of these and the smallest of the com- 

 mon sturgeon ; and 2. The females of the smaller sort are all filled with 

 spawn." 



tOPHIUS. ANGLER. 



Generic character. 



Head depressed. Teeth numerous and sharp. Tongue armed witk 

 teeth. Pectoral ■fins brachiated. 



1. Toad-jish. (JLophius bufo.) With semi-circular cirrho us dots un- 

 der his eyes, loose pursy, skin, and brown, clouded, and mottled com- 

 plexion. 



Length about twelve inches; breadth almost four; depth two. An 

 inhabitant of our salt water, 



