140 [August, 



medium size. Teeth on the colorless side of the jaws only, as in the genus 

 just mentioned. Dorsal and anal fins not extending to the caudal. Caudal 

 truncated posteriorly. Lateral line almost straight, making but a small inflexion 

 uowards above the pectorals. Scales small, covering the body and head. 



29. Parophrys vetultjs, G. Body elongated, tapering considerably pos- 

 teriorly, less so anteriorly where it is terminated by a wedge-shaped head and 

 an acute snout. The head forms a little less than a fourth of the entire length, . 

 to which the greatest depth stands as one to three. The mouth is small, lower 

 jaw longest ; the posterior extremity of upper maxillary overruns slightly the 

 vertical of the anterior rim of orbit. The teeth are minute. Eyes on the right 

 side and very large, elliptically elongated and closely approximated, being 

 separated by a narrow and elevated ridge ; hence a sloping of either side of the 

 ocular region. The longitudinal diameter of the eye is comprised four times in 

 the length of the side of head. The dorsal fin begins above the eye, and termin- 

 ates, as well as the anal, at a short distance from the base of caudal. The 

 caudal is slender and posteriorly truncated. The pectorals and ventrals are 

 small; the insertion of the latter being situated beneath the posterior extremity 

 of the opercle. 



D 86. A 64. C 3. 1. 7. 7. 1. 3. V 6. P 11. 



The scales are very minute, and equally distributed over the body and head. 

 The lateral line is nearly straight, making but a slight curvature, convex upwards 

 just above the pectoral fin. 



Ground color of body reddish ash, fins yellowish with small black spots irre- 

 gularly scattered over body and fins. 



From San Francisco, Cal. 



Genus PSETTICHTHYS, Girard. 



Eyes on either the right or left side. General form elongated as in Solea. 

 Mouth rather large and oblique, lower jaw longest. Teeth slender and incon- 

 spicuous, occupying both sides of the jaws. Origin of dorsal fin opposite the 

 anterior rim of orbit. Posterior margin of both dorsal and anal not reaching the 

 base of caudal. Caudal posteriorly rounded. Scales very small. Lateral line 

 slightly arched above the pectorals. 



30. Psettichthys melaxostictus, G. Body elongated ; slender, tapering 

 posteriorly. Greatest depth contained about three times in the total length, and 

 head a little less than four times. Mouth large and oblique; lower jaw longest. 

 Teeth slender. Posterior extremity of upper maxillary extending to a vertical 

 line which would pass in advance of the pupil. Eyes on the right side and well 

 developed, their diameter being contained four times and a half in the length of 

 the side of head. The origin of dorsal is just above the eye and terminates, as 

 well as the anal, before reaching the base of the caudal. The eight or ten 

 anterior rays of dorsal are higher than the following ones. The central rays of 

 caudal are the longest. The pectorals and ventrals are small and rounded upon 

 their margin ; the latter inserted considerably in advance of the former. 



D 78. A 60. C 4. 1. 6. 6. 1. 3. V 6. P 12. 



The scales are minute, covering the body and head. Ground color cinereous 

 with crowded black dots, sometimes confluent or else grouped. 

 From San Francisco, Cal. 



The above species, thus very briefly characterised, are to be more minutely 

 described in an Appendix to Lieut. Williamson's official report of the Survey 

 entrusted to his charge. 



