106. SCORP^NIDvE SEBASTODES. 6G1 



about 5 its height; second anal spine longer and stronger than third, 

 almost as high as the soft rays, 2^ in head; pectorals long, reaching 

 beyond tips of ventrals; caudal emarginate; maxillary and mandible 

 scaly. Peritoneum black. Head 3; depth 2|. D. XIII-14; A. Ill, 8; 

 pectoral 3; height of dorsal 8; Lat. 1. about 70. L. 14 inches. Coast 

 of California, in deep water; rare. 



(Ayrcs, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 1862, 212, f. 65: Scbasticlitliys ovalls Jordan & Gilbert, 

 Proe" U. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 143.) 



">. S. proriger Jor. & Gilb. 

 Bright light red, mottled above with dusky olive-green, the ground 

 color forming distinct blotches under the third dorsal spine and under 

 the first and last rays of the soft dorsal; lateral line running in the 

 middle of a very distinct continuous red stripe, precisely as in S. elon- 

 gatits; head above with purplish cross-shades; opercle with a dusky 

 blotch; two olive shades radiating from the eye; lips and tip of lower 

 jaw blackish; iris red; caudal fin bright red, speckled with dark olive; 

 spinous dorsal bright red, the posterior part of each membrane black- 

 ish; soft dorsal olive and red; lower fins bright light red, with shades 

 of olive yellow. Body elongate, somewhat compressed, a little less 

 slender than in S. elongatus, which this species much resembles in color 

 and form. Head rather small. Mouth small, much as in 8. ovalis, the 

 short, broad maxillary extending to beyond the middle of the eye, the 

 premaxillary on the level of lower margin of pupil; maxillary 2^ in 

 head; lower jaw strongly projecting, with a conspicuous symphyseal 

 knob. Eye very large, longer than snout; preorbital narrow. Cranial 

 ridges very low and weak; preorular, supraocular, tympanic, and occi- 

 pital present; most of the ridges partly covered by scales; tympanic 

 spine minute; occipital ridge not conspicuous, the spine depressed. 

 Preopercular spines sharp, the second longest, the points of all directed 

 backward; opercular spines moderate. Interorbital space broad, nearly 

 as broad as the eye, somewhat regularly convex, the middle being ele- 

 vated. Gill-rakers very long, slender, and numerous, the longest longer 

 than the supraocular ridge, and about half the diameter of the eye. 

 Scales rather small. Dorsal fin very low, as in 8. ovalis, not deeply 

 emarginate, the highest spine little more than one-third length of head; 

 soft dorsal low, half as high as long, the highest ray about equal to 

 the longest spine; caudal fin moderately forked; anal fin low r , its length 

 nearly equal to the height of its longest ray; second spine much longer 

 and stronger than the third, scarcely shorter than the longest ray, 2 



