THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 411 



Frequently found along our shores at Cape May, Beesley's 

 Point and Ocean City. They bury in the sand near the tide 

 marks and sometimes are washed upon the shores. 



Ammodytes americanus Abbott, Geol. N. J., 1868, p. 816. 



Sub-Order HAPLODOCI. 



The Toad Fishes. 

 It contains a single family, the Batrachoididcc. 

 Family BATRACHOIDIDiE. 

 The Toad Fishes. 



Body more or less robust, depressed anteriorly, compressed be- 

 hind. Head large, depressed, its muciferous channels well de- 

 veloped. Mouth very large. Teeth generally strong. Premaxil- 

 laries protractile. Suborbital without bony stay. Post-temporal 

 bone simple, undivided. Gill-openings restricted to sides, mem- 

 branes broadly united to isthmus. Gill-rakers present, moderate. 

 Gills 3, a slit behind last. Pseudobranchise none. Branchioste- 

 gals mostly 6. Pyloric coeca none. Vertebrae in large number, 

 32 to 45. Dorsal fins 2, first of II or III low stout spines. 

 Rayed dorsal very long. Anal fin similar, but shorter. Tail 

 diphycercal, caudal fin distinct, rounded. Pectorals very broad, 

 rays branched. Ventrals rather large, jugular, I, 2 or I, 3. 



Carnivorous fishes of the coasts, mostly in warm seas, some 

 ascending rivers. The young of all the species fasten themselves 

 to rocks by means of an adhesive disk which soon disappears. 

 One species on our coast. 



Genus Opsanus Rafinesque. 



The Toad Fishes. 

 Opsanus tau (Linnaeus). 



Toad Fish. Oyster Fish. 



Head 2^ ; depth 4^^ ; D. Ill, 26; A. 21 ; width head iVio '^^ 

 its length; width of mouth 1^/7; interorbital space 3^ in head, 



