28 HISTOKY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS, 



three entire specimens of the Portunus pictiis of considerable size ; in others I have 

 seen large quantities of the Echinus granulafus^ and several species of Algag. 

 Maine, Massachusetts, Storer. Connecticut, Ayres. New York, Deicay. 



ACANTHOCOTTUS ViRGINlANUS, Guafd, 



The Common Sculpin. 

 (Plate iV. Fig. 2.) 



Scorpius Virginianus, Willoughby, Hist. Pise, App,, p. 25, pi. 10, fig. 15 (?). 



Cottus octodedmspinosus, Eighteen-spined Cottus, Mitchill, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. Y., i. p. 380. 



Le grand Chaboisseau d. dix-huit dpines de VMrnerique du Kord, Cottus octodedmspinosus^ Cut. et Val , iv. p. 181. 



Cottus octoded'mspinos'us^ Sculpin, Rich., Fauna Boreal. Americ, iii. p. 46. 



" " GRirriTH's Cuv., x. pi. 43, fig. 4. 



Cottus Virginianusy Common Sculpin^ Stoker, Report, p. 18. 



" <' Common Bull-head, Dekay, Report, p. 53, pi. 5, fig. 13. 



'< " LwsLEYj Cat. of Fishes of Conn. 



*• " Storer, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, ii. p. 305. 



'* ^' Storer, Synopsis, p. 53. 



Acanthocottus Virginianus, Girarb, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., iii. p. 187. 

 ** *« H. R. Storer, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist., vi. p. 250. 



Color. While alive, some individuals of this species are of a greenish-yellow color, 

 with four transverse dark-brown bars, which extend from the dorsum to the lower 

 part of the sides ; the anterior of these is nearly as wide at its base as the first 

 dorsal fin at which it commences ; the second is situated at the anterior half of the 

 second dorsal ; the third, which is narrower than the second, is at the posterior half 

 of the second dorsal ; the fourth band crosses the fleshy portion of the tail In others 

 the general color is of a greenish-brown, the bands are very indistinct and appear 

 rather like large blotches. Abdomen white. The first dorsal is fuliginous, and crossed 

 by distinct dark-brown bands. The second dorsal is crossed by three longitudinal 

 bands of dark brown. The pectorals are of a light-yellow color ; broad when expanded ; 

 the inferior rays are flesh-colored ; these fins are crossed by six dark-brown concentric 

 bands of different widths. The ventrals are yellowish-white ; the intermediate mem- 

 brane clouded by indistinct bands of dark brown. The anal is yellowish, crossed by 

 indistinct dark bands. The caudal is yellowish-white, with five very distinct bands. 

 Pupils bluish ; irides reddish, with a coppery hue when alive. 



Description. Length of head equal to one third the length of body ; its greatest 

 width equal to two thirds its length. Twenty spines are seen upon and about the head, 

 ten on each side ; all these are naked at their extremities. The nasal spines are small 

 and recurved; the post-orbitar spines are a little longer than the nasals; they are 

 barely elevated above the top of the head, and point directly backwards ; the occipital 

 spines are erect and slightly recurved ; they are rather stouter than the post-orbitars ; 



