M1TCHILL ON THE FISHES OF NEW-YORK. 491 



Not a knob, spine, or cirrhus, either on it, or on the chin or gill-covers. 

 There were eight stout spines about a quarter of an inch long, and half 

 an inch apart on the top of the back, in front of the dorsal fin. The 

 form was such, that between the pectoral fins, the horizontal diameter 

 was greatest ; yet altered so that at the commencement of the dorsal 

 fin, the perpendicular diameter was most considerable. From this part, 

 the body tapered away gently to the tail, which was lunated unequally, 

 the upper segment being rather longer than the lower, and the distance 

 between their extremities being about seven inches. 



The dorsal fin began immediately behind the last of the before-men- 

 tioned spines, or a foot from the snout ; and it reached about the same 

 distance toward the tail. The vent was nearly midway between the ex- 

 tremities ; and the anal fin reached about eight inches beyond it. Both 

 the dorsal and anal ceased before they reached the tail. 



The upper jaw was bluntly rounded. The lower jutted beyond the 

 upper ; was rather lengthened, and less blunt. Both had distinct lips. 

 The teeth were small, and resembled graters by their roughness. Gape 

 of the mouth wide, and throat capacious. Both lips roughened by mi- 

 nute teeth. Three patches of teeth in the palate. Tongue broad, red- 

 dish, and in the middle cartilaginous, with an array of teeth upon it. 

 Four pair of roundish cartilaginous patches, near the junction of the 

 branchial arches, between the tongue and throat. In the throat itself, 

 just in front of the gullet, two toothed patches above, and as many be- 

 low. On these, the teeth rather longer and sharper than the rest. 



The eyes were vertical on the sides of the head, and as much as three 

 inches apart. Their colour whitish, with a tinge of yellow. About an 

 inch in front of them, patulous double nostrils. 



The general colour of the head, back, and tail, dorsal and caudal fins, 

 dark brown, almost approaching to black. The inside of the pectorals 

 of the same hue ; the outside a dirty white. Behind the pectorals com- 



