THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 223 



Known from the preceding chiefly by the smaller scales, which 

 are 115 or more in the lateral line. 



I have no examples of this species. It is small, rarely more 

 than a foot in length. 



SphyrcBfia boreaUs Baird, 9th An. Rep. Smiths. Inst., 1854, p. 

 326.— Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 812.— Bean, Bull. U. S. F. 

 Com., VII, 1887, p. 145.— Bean, Bull. Am. Mus. N. H., IX, 



^§97. P- 358- 



Sub-Order HEMIBRANCHII. 



The Half Gilled Fishes. 

 Key to the families. 



a. Ventrals each with a sharp spine, each with i soft ray, and subthoracic ; 



dorsal spines. gasterosteid^ 



>aa. Ventrals without spines, each with 6 soft rays, and sub-abdominal; dorsal 



spines undeveloped. FiSTUEARiiD.ii 



Family GASTEROSTEID^. 



The Sticklebacks. 



Body more or less fusiform, somewhat compressed, tapering 

 behind to a slender caudal peduncle. Head moderate, anterior 

 part not greatly produced. Mouth moderate, cleft oblique, lower 

 jaw prominent. Maxillary bent at right angles, and overlapping 

 premaxillary at corner of mouth. Teeth sharp, even, in a narrow 

 band in each jaw. No teeth on vomer or palatines. Premaxil- 

 laries protractile. Preorbital rather broad. Suborbital plate large, 

 often coverning anterior part O'f cheeks, forming a connection 

 with preopercle. Opercles unarmed. Gill-membranes broadly 

 joined, free from isthmus or not. Gill-rakers moderate or rather 

 long. Branchiostegals 3. Air-vessel simple. A few pyloric 

 coeca. Vertebrge 30 to 35, anterior little enlarged. Skin naked 

 or with vertically oblong bony plates, nO' true scales. Middle of 

 sides of belly shielded by pubic bones. Pectoral preceded by a 

 ' quadrate naked area, which is covered with shining skin. Dorsal 

 hn preceded by II or more free spines. Anal similar to soft 



