THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 423 



8 scales between origin of first dorsal and lateral line; 17 scales 

 obliquely back from origin of anal tO' lateral line; mandible lYz 

 in head; second dorsal ray of first fin 2% ; third ray of second 

 dorsal 4; sixth ray of third dorsal 2j4 ; twelfth ray of first anal 

 4; upper caudal lobe ij^; pectoral ij^; ventral ij4; snout 3 

 in head measured from tip of upper jaw; eye 5 ; maxillary 1% ; 

 interorbital space 3^4 ; least depth of caudal peduncle 6j4- Body 

 elongate, compressed, and tapering well from vent backwards. 

 Head slender, conic, but little compressed. Snout depressed. 

 Eye circular, anterior and high. Mouth large, oblique, and 

 mandible well protruding in front. Teeth large, conspicuous, 

 those in upper jaw especially enlarged. Maxillary not quite 

 reaching opposite posterior orbital margin. Top of head with 

 W-shaped ridges conspicuous. Interorbital space flat. Gill- 



^> ■ ' 



Hake. Merluccius hilinearis (Mitchill). 



rakers i 5 + 13 i, compressed, elongate, and longest 2 in orbit. 

 Scales large, reduced on top of head and predorsal region. Lat- 

 eral line concurrent with back above. First dorsal inserted about 

 over first fourth of depressed pectoral, and its base 2j^ in that 

 of second dorsal, which is inserted a trifle before tip of pectoral. 

 Third dorsal inserted nearer base of caudal than origin of anal, 

 its base 1 5^ in that of second dorsal. Origin of first anal a little 

 nearer tip of mandible than base of caudal. Second anal inserted 

 a trifle before third dorsal. Caudal with posterior margin convex. 

 Pectoral nearly reaching origin of anal. Ventral inserted as far 

 in advance of origin of pectoral as first dorsal is posterior and 

 reaching about three-fifths of space to anal. Color gray-brown, 

 darker on middle of back. Lower surface dull silvery. Lips 



