42 jTirst annual Report 



Family GOBIESOCIDAE 



Rimicola eigenmanni (Gilbert) 



(Plate III, I, J) 



This species was found to be fairly common in a little cove near 

 Laguna, where it lived in a growth of Phyllaspadix (eel grass), in 

 shallow water. Jordan and Evermann in "Fishes of North and Mid- 

 dle America" record two species of this genus, R. eigenmanni and R. 

 niiixc/inini, the one greenish, the other brownish in color, and suppos- 

 edly differing in fin rays. They have since been shown to be simply 

 forms of one species (J. (). Snyder, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. XXXV; 

 183, Oct. 1908). Both forms were found, presumably clinging to 

 Plti/IIuxitddi.i', the green form resembling the living plants, the brown 

 the dead ones. Whether or not the two forms actually selected the 

 plants of their own color upon which to attach themselves could not 

 be ascertained. A careful search was made to find individuals so 

 attached, but it was unsuccessful. They detached themselves as soon 

 as they were taken out of the water, if they were ever attached, and 

 no specimens were seen in the water. The only way they could be 

 taken at all was by means of a small hand net swept through the 

 eel grass. Fifteen or twenty specimens were secured in this way. 

 When put into vessels of water with live and dead Phyllospadix they 

 seemed to show no preference in regard to color, attaching them- 

 selves to either brown or green blades indiscriminately. In size the 

 series ranged from one-half to one and one-half inches in total length. 

 The following color notes were taken from fresh specimens: Green 

 form: Upper parts translucent green, uniformly speckled with 

 minute dark dots of brown ; head with two transverse rows of spots 

 which intersect before the eyes and extend forward on the sides of 

 snout, and backward to near the base of pectorals. A brown band 

 extends from snout, through eye, to opercle; a similar one extends 

 along the side of body through base of pectorals, becoming obsolete 

 on tail and opercle. Caudal rays speckled like body, a dark band of 

 spots across tip ; other fins white. Under parts before vent white, 

 behind similar to dorsum. Some specimens have spots on head ir- 

 regular, some have anterior and posterior lateral bars fused into 

 one long one. 



Brown form : Quite similar to the green form in markings, but 

 ground color brownish, like dead leaves, instead of green. One 

 specimen is covered with olive green mottlings on a brown back- 

 ground. Another has a row of large light spots on the posterior part 

 of each side behind the pectorals. A wide range of variation is 

 shown in even this small series of specimens. The two types of 

 color, however, appear to be constant and equally common. After 



