114. BLENNIID^E HETEROSTICHUS. 763 



aa. Nape without fringe of filaments. 



b. Head pointed; no palatine teeth; spinous dorsal notched behind fifth spine; 

 scales minute. (Gibbonsia* Cooper.) 



1164. C. evides J. & G. nom. sp. nov. 



Usual color of adult translucent, reddish or orange, nearly plain ; a 

 large pellucid spot on the membrane behind third dorsal spine, and 

 some small ones behind it; pectorals barred; young specimens vari- 

 ously variegated, with light and dark shades of red, brown, and white, 

 the hue varying exceedingly and dependent on the surroundings; a 

 dark spot usually present behind gill-opening. Body elongate, com- 

 pressed; head small, rather pointed; mouth quite small, terminal, the 

 maxillary about reaching pupil, 3J in head; lower jaw projecting; no 

 teeth on palatines ; posterior teeth not recurved ; eye moderate, shorter 

 than snout, nearly 6 in head ; a small supraocular flap, not higher than 

 pupil. First spine of dorsal inserted over preopercle, its length more 

 than one-third that of head; the second nearly equal; the third, fourth, 

 and fifth progressively shorter; the sixth about as long as fourth; the 

 seventh longer; the rest nearly equal to the last, which is lower than 

 the soft rays; pectorals short, not reaching vent; ventrals short; scales 

 very small, smooth; head naked; no air-bladder. Head 4f ; depth 4|. 

 D. V, XXXI, 10; A. II, 26. L. 9 inches. Coast of California, from 

 Monterey southward ; in rock-pools ; very abundant. 



(Myxodes (Gibbonsia) elegans Cooper, Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. iii, 109, 1864: Blakea 

 elegans Steiudaclmer, Ichth. Beitriige, v, 148, 1876; not Clinas elegans C. & V.) 



4O. HETEROSTICHUS Girard. 



Kelp-fishes. 



(Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1834, 143: type Heteroslichus rostratus Grd.) 



Body rather elongate, compressed, covered with very small, smooth 

 scales; head long and low, the snout conic, produced, very acute; pre- 

 maxillaries protractile; mouth moderate, terminal; each jaw with a row 

 of conical teeth, behind which anteriorly is a broad patch of villiform 

 teeth; vomer and palatines with villiform teeth; gill-rakers feeble; 

 gill-membranes broadly united, free from the isthmus; orbital cirri 

 minute or wanting; cheeks scaly. Dorsal fin very long, the posterior 

 rays soft, the five anterior spines wider apart than the rest and sepa- 

 rated from them by a notch, the first and second spines longest, rather 

 flexible, the other spines stiff; caudal fin forked; veutrals I, 3; pec- 



* Cooper, Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. iii, 109: type Myxodes elegans Cooper. (Dedi- 

 cated to Dr. J. P. Gibbous.) 



