THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 369 



nose. Eye small, circular, and little anterior in head. Mouth 

 small, upper jaw even. Interorbital space high and convex. Gill- 

 opening just below eye, oblique, and about equal to eye-diameter. 

 JBody covered with thick rough elastic skin. Dorsal inserted about 

 midway between gill-opening and tip of caudal. Anal a little 

 .anterior and confluent with dorsal around tail by means of caudal 

 which is low and wavy. Color grayish. Length 44 inches. 

 Anglesea. 



A large clumsy pelagic fish reaching a length of over 8 

 feet and a weight of 1800 pounds. They are usually seen swim- 

 ing slowly with the elevated dorsal above the water, sometimes 

 turning over on its side. An example 4 feet 8 inches long, 

 v^eighed about 200 pounds. It was taken in the surf off Cape 

 May, Nov. ist, 1903. Another taken at Sea Isle City on July 

 20th, 1905, was reported by Mr. Wm. J. Fox. In fact most every 

 summer several occur. I also' have other records for Cape May. 

 The yonng are very different in appearance, with a much com- 

 2>ressed deep body and w^ith caudal replaced by a series of mar- 

 ginal spines. 



Orthagoriscus mola Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1867, p. 827. 



Molacanthus carinatus Abbott, 1, c. 



Sub-Order PAREIOPLIT/E. 



The Mailed Cheek Fishes. 



A large group distinguished chiefly by the presence of the bony 

 stay or backwardly directed process from the third suborbital ex- 

 tending across cheek toward preopercle. 



Key to the families. 



.a. Ventrals not united or forming a round sucking-disk ; a well-developed 

 spinous dorsal usually. 

 b. Body covered with scales mostly, never with plates. 



c. Anal spines III. scorp^nid^ 



cc. No anal spines. cottid^ 



bb. Body covered with plates arranged in about 8 longitudinal rows; 



spinous dorsal short or wanting. agonid^ 



■aa. Ventrals completely united to form a round sucking-disk, rarely obsolete ; 



spinous dorsal little developed. cyclopterid.^ 



24 MU 



