THE FISHES OF XEW JERSEY. 345 



"head; eye sH ', maxillary 2,H ! interorbital space 3j4 ; sixth dorsal 

 spine 2)}i J sixth dorsal ray 2; third anal spine 2^ ; fourth anal 

 ray 2; least depth of caudal peduncle 13/5 ; caudal i^ ; pectoral 

 i^; ventral i^. Body long, somewhat deep and compressed. 

 Profile moderately steep, well rounded from snout to dorsal. 

 Head large, profile convex and nearly as deep as long. Snout a 

 little long, convex. Eye small, high up, circular. ^louth rather 

 small. Teeth .strong, conic, biserial, outer series somewhat in- 

 cisor-like, 2 anterior in each jaw strong, and posterior small, 

 without canines. Jaws equal. Lips thick and fleshy. Inter- 

 orbital space convex. Gill-rakers 4 -f- 9. short, blunt. Scales 

 small, minute on belly, breast, predorsal region, and base of 

 caudal. On cheek a series of 7 small scales, and rest of head, 

 except patch behind eye. naked. Lateral line abruptly decurved 

 below end of rayed dorsal. Dorsal long, low, continuous, spinous 

 part much larger, of more or less uniform height, margin notched, 

 behind tip of each spine a cutaneous point, and its origin about 

 opposite that of pectoral. Rayed dorsal rounded, inserted much 

 nearer tip of pectoral than base of caudal. Anal inserted a little 

 anterior, about midway between origin of dorsal and base of 

 caudal, spines graduated to third which is longest, and margin 

 of fin deeply notched with a filament behind tip of first and 

 second spines. Rayed anal long and rather low. Caudal broad 

 and rounded. Pectoral broad, rounded, about 9^ of space to 

 anal. Ventral inserted about opposite first third of pectoral, and 

 nearly ys to anal. \^entral spine about ^/^ length of fin. 



General color when fresh mouse-gray, under surface but 

 slightly paler, edges of scales but little darker, and A^ertical streaks 

 or reticulations blackish-slate. Side of body posteriorly a little 

 pale, though markings veiy pronounced and in contrast, produc- 

 ing a beautiful variegated appearance. Head laterally with a 

 little brownish tinge, soiled whitish on under surface. Lips pale 

 brownish, lower paler. Iris with an outer circle of greenish en- 

 circling bright golden one, which in turn encircles pupil. Dor- 

 sals, caudal, anal and ventral brownish-gray, margins of soft 

 dorsal, caudal and anal a little paler or more brownish, though 

 all of these fins variegated with dull blackish-slate. Ventral 

 spine pale or whitish, also rest of fin anteriorly and basally. Pec- 



