THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 397 



Genus Achirus Lacepede. 



The American Soles. 



Achirus fasciatus Lacepede. 



Platk 90. 



Sole. Hog Choker. New York Sole. Cover Clip. 



Head 3% ; depth 1 5^5 ; D. 55 ; A. 41 ; scales 75 in lateral line to 

 base of caudal, and 7 more on latter; 32 scales between base of 

 dorsal at its highest part and lateral line, counted in a vertical 

 series; 42 scales between lateral line and lowest portion of base 

 of anal counted in a vertical series; snout 2j^ in head, measured 

 from lower orbit ; mouth 3% ; highest dorsal ray i J^ ; highest 

 anal ray i^^ ; caudal i. Body dextral, broad, regularly elliptical. 

 Head rather small. Snout a little long. Eye circular, upper well 

 in advance of lower, or its posterior margin about opposite an- 

 terior margin of lower pupil. Mouth curved, gape reaching 

 about opposite front rim of pupil. Lower right lip fringed, upper 

 more papillose. Teeth minute, in asperous bands most developed 

 on blind side, where gape of mouth is also more curved. Nostril 

 large, close to lip, just in front of margin of anterior eye. A 

 well-developed prenasal spine, though rather short. Interorbital 

 space about J4 of orbit. Gill-opening about twice length of 

 maxillary. Gill-rakers short weak fleshy tubercles, rather 

 sparse. Body covered with strongly ctenoid scales, those along 

 anterior dorsal profile enlarged. Interorbital space scaly. Bases 

 of all fins covered with small scales. Lateral line nearly straight. 

 Dorsal beginning on tip of snout, last rays decreasing rapidly, 

 giving fin a truncated appearance posteriorly. Anal similar. 

 Caudal rounded. No pectorals. Color dusky-olive dextrally, 

 more or less finely mottled and with about 8 dark vertical lines. 

 Dorsal and anal with membrane of every second or third pair 

 of rays blackish, besides dark cloudings at base of fin. Caudal 

 with dark blotches basally. Left or blind side whitish. Length 

 5^ inches. Beesley's Point. 



Abundant along our sea-coast and ascending tide-water 

 streanis. It has several times been noted in the Delaware tide- 



