718 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY - IV. 



from snout; preopereular spine short, bifurcate; cranium plane above. 

 Upper part of body mesially, covered with minute, imbedded, non-im- 

 bricated, pectinate scales; anteriorly, small cirri, mostly bifid or trilid, 

 take the place of the scales. Head, especially above, Avith very many 

 similar cirri ; a fringe of cirri on edge of preopercle. Dorsal fins con- 

 tiguous. rather low; pectoral reaching past front of anal. Anal papilla 

 very large. Head :\.\ ; depth 4J. D. IX-17; A. 14; V. I, 3; P. 16. L. 

 7 inches. Coast of California; abundant in rock-pools from Monterey 

 >outhward to Lower California. 



(Grd., Proc. Acacl. Nat, Sei. Phila. 1857, 201 ; Girard, U. g. Pac. R. R. Surv. Fish. 57: 

 Centridermichthya ana 1 is Giiuther ii, 171: Coitus criiriyer GUntber ii, 522.) 



bb. Skin without scales or prickles. (OH(jocottn>i.) 



11O3. O. onacillosus Grd. Johnny. 



Usual color reddish brown, varying to gray, intense green or crimson 

 according to surroundings, the vivid colors developed in the presence 

 of similarly colored algae; fins all barred; belly usually livid bluish or 

 greenish; lower side of head with white mottlings; northern specimens 

 with an ocellated black spot on front of spinous dorsal. Head slender, 

 narrowed above, the snout rather pointed ; maxillary reaching pupil ; top 

 of head with several scattered cirri; a few on sides of head, none on 

 edge of preopercle; cirri on lateral line anteriorly and on front of back, 

 also on base of spinous dorsal. No scales or prickles anywhere; pre- 

 opercular spine forked. Front rays of anal enlarged and partly de- 

 tached in <?; anal papilla large (in <?); pectorals reaching well beyond 

 front of anal. Head .Tr; ; depth 4J. D. VIII-1C; A. 1 L. 3 inches. 

 San Luis Ohispo to Alaska, exceedingly abundant northward; one of the 

 smallest of marine ('ottid-.r. 



((iirui.l. Pr..r. Acad. Nat. S,-i. I'hila. K.i;. !:,:{; Giranl, U. S. Pac. K. I, 1 . Surv. Fish. 

 [>('.: Cenlridermtehthys nuic/ilomin (;iiuthcr, ii, 171.) 



n. Minith \\itli v;-ry lilllc Inirnil i-]rfi : tin- h.-nd -^lohoid. (liJcnnicuttu** Gill.) 



I I OS. O. ^l4>C>i<i-<>|)s Ci-d. 



Dark oli\c, with oltsciii'e darker cross-bars: first dorsal with 2 dark 

 -trcaks aliove: lins ^cneialh 1 sirred \\ith greenish, orange, or blue; 

 cirri mo>||\ Mack. I'.od\ little compressed; head cxtK-nicly short and 

 blunt, naiTo\\c;l above, nearly everywhere convex. Mouth anterior, 

 short and broad, al ..... st without lateral cleft ; lower jaw shortest ; max- 

 illary reaching past front of the small eye; interorbital sp;',: e very iiar- 



(Jill, I'ruc. Acad. Nat. S.'i. 1'liila. 1^,11, 1GG: type Oligocottits ylobiceps Grd. (Blen- 

 nt ; Coitus.) 



