994 FISHES—GADID A. 
its depth half its length; profile rising rapidly from head to base of dorsal, which runs 
along a decided ridge or carina; preopercular spine extremely large, more than three 
times as large as in other of our fresh-water Cottoids, and as long as the eye; this spine — 
is hooked backwards, and is slightly spiral, giving the fish a decidedly buffalo-like 
or cow-like physiognomy ; three spines hooked downwards below the !arge one, the 
lower concealed ; a strong spine directed forwards at base of opercle; isthmus as wide 
as from snout to middle of orbit; head 33-5; depth 54; fin rays: D. VIII, 17; A 12; 
ventrals 1-4; pectorals 16; branchiostegals 6; base of pectorals crescentic, their tips 
just short of anal, the rays all simple; veotrals under pectorals reaching two-thirds to 
vent, their membrane decurrent; dorsal beginning a irifle beyond ventrals, rather 
nearer anal than snout; vent midway between base of caudal and snout; depth at first 
ray of anal less than half length of head, the thickness at the same point a little more 
than one-third; least depth one-fourth of head; candal peduncle slenderer than in any 
other Cottoid known to me in our fresh waters; head smooth; space above lateral line 
behind head covered with small, stiff prickles, slightly hooked backwards, readily vis- 
ible as little black specks when the skin is dry ; axillary region not provided with spines ; 
color pale brown, rather finely specked and mottled with darker bro»n; pectorals mot- 
tled; belly white. Length of smaller specimen (Nelson’s type) 2 5-6 inches; of 
larger 23, 
Habitat, Great Lakes, in deep water; Lake Michigan (Nelson, Rice, Jordan); Lake 
‘Ontario (Jordan) Several specimens of this -pecies are mixed with Girard’s original 
types of Triglopsis thompsoni, in the United States National Museum; near Hudson’s Bay 
(Bean); also in Grand River (Cope). Not yet knewn from Ohio, but probably occurring 
in Lake Erie. . 
Diagnosis.—From our other Sculpins this species may be known by the 
prickly back. Specimens poorly preserved lose these prickles, however. 
The species may then be distinguished by the cow-like physiognomy, - 
due to the great development and curvature of the preopercular spines. 
FAMILY XXV. GADIDA. THE COD-FISHES. 
Body elongate, compressed behind, tapering into the isecercal tail; scales small, 
cycloid, covering head and body; lateral lise continnous; mouth large, the teeth 
pointed, variously arranged; gill openings very wide, the membranes separate or nearly. 
so, free from the isthmus; pseudobranchiz obsolete; bones of head usually unarmed ; 
chiu usually with a barbel: fins all composed of soft rays ouly; dorsal fin very long, 
sometimes divided into two or three fins; anal long, sometimes divided; caudal free 
from dorsal and anal; ventrals narrow; jugular of 2 to 7 rays; pyloric ceca numerous; 
air-b'adder usually present; genera 15; species abont 70. Fishes mostly of the North- 
ern se2s, many of them reaching alarge size. Several of the most important food fishes, 
as the Coed, Haddock, Hake, Pollock, Cusk, ete , belong to this family. A single species. 
is found in fresh waters. . 
a. Dorsal fins two, the first well developed ; anal fin single; ventral rays six; chin 
with a barbel 3 : : i , : A ‘ z 3 : : : LoTA, 
