HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 11 



Centropristes nigricans, Regne Animal, ed. V.\l., pi. 9, a, fig. 1. 



" " Black Perch, Black Sea- Bass, Storkr, Report, p. 9. 



" '* Black Sea-Bass, Bek if, Report, p. 24, pi. 11, fig. 5. 



" " LiNSLEY, Cat. of Fishess of Conn. 



" " Storer, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, ii. p. 237. 



" " Storer, Synopsis, p. 35. 



(Lutjanus trilohus, Lacep..'*) 



Color. Of a dark brown, almost black, aboYc ; lighter beneath ; of the head, sea 

 or bronze green. In some specimens, after death, there is a greenish tinge upon the 

 abdomen, and a bluish one upon the top and back of head. The dorsal and anal fins 

 are white ; the former crossed by black bars, the latter marked by fuliginous blotches. 

 The pectorals are of a leaden color, varied with dark brown ; the membrane of the 

 ventrals is white, while the rays are nearly black. 



Description. Body elongated, compressed ; convex in front of the dorsal fin. Great- 

 est depth of body equal to one fourth the length of the fish. Length of head to the 

 posterior angle of the operculum equal to rather more than one third the length of the 

 fish. Head, between and in front of eyes, without scales. Scales upon the sides of 

 the body large ; small upon the preopercle, and at the base of the tail. Eyes of 

 moderate size. Nostrils double, situated just anterior to the superior anterior angle of 

 the eyes ; the anterior is tubular ; the posterior much the larger. Jaws equal in length, 

 armed with a great number of minute, sharp, card-like teeth ; upper jaw protractile. 

 Lips fleshy. The whole posterior edge of the preoperculum is denticulated ; the inferior 

 edge is serrated. A flat, sharp spine is situated at the posterior angle of the operculum, 

 below which is a broad, fleshy elongation projecting beyond it, the posterior portion of 

 which is destitute of scales. By the union of the opercle and interopercle, a slight 

 notch is produced. Humeral bone denticulated. The lateral line, which is of a dark 

 color, arises at the lower edge of the humeral bone, and assumes the curve of the body. 



The dorsal fin arises on a line with the base of the pectorals ; its first ten rays are 

 spinous. At the posterior portion of each of these spines, suspended from the upper 

 edge of the connecting membrane, is a small fleshy tentacle. The first ray is shortest, 

 the fourth longest. The eleven fleshy rays are higher than the spinous ones, artic- 

 ulated and bifid ; this portion extends farther back than the anal fin. 



The pectorals arise just below the fleshy projection of the operculum ; they are fan- 

 shaped, quite broad when expanded, and rounded posteriorly. 



The ventrals are just in front of the pectorals ; the middle rays are longest ; their 

 length equal to that of the pectorals. 



The anal fin commences back of the soft rays of the dorsal ; the first three rays are 

 spinous. Fin higher than long. 



