132 [June, 



The head is subconical, the lower jaw a little longer than the upper, the mouth 

 rather large ; card-like teeth upon the premaxillaries, dentaries, vomer and pala- 

 tines, with a row of small canine teeth along the edges of the jaws. Tongue 

 smooth. Small and homogenous spines upon the outer curve of the preopercle. 

 Two small and inconspicuous spines upon the margin of the opercle. Edge of 

 suborbital, entire ; humerus denticulated ; opercular apparatus and cheeks cover- 

 ed with scales, smaller on the cheeks than on the opercles. Gill openings con- 

 tinuous under the throat ; branchiostegal rays, six in number. Scales minutely 

 serrated posteriorly." 



Paralabrax nebulifer and P. clathratus 

 are the two species. 



Dr. Ayres's Centrarchus maculosus is my C. interruptus. 



A new and interesting member of the group TrachinidoB, we inscribe into the 

 method under the appellation of 



HOMALOPOMUS, 



" Thegeneral aspect of which is elongated, the mouth large, the lower jaw long- 

 est ; upper and lower jaws provided with canine teeth ; card-like teeth on the 

 vomer. Palatines toothless ; tongue smooth. Dorsal fins separated ; anterior, 

 small and subtriangular ; posterior, extending mostly to rest of space towards 

 the caudal. Anal fin longer than deep, situated far back. Opercular apparatus 

 spineless and scaly ; cheeks smooth and scaleless. Upper surface of head cover- 

 ed with minute scales. Scales covering the body of moderate development with 

 posterior margin entire, and smooth. Gill openings continuous under the head ; 

 branchiostegals, six in number." 



A single species is known, several specimens of which were examined, all of 

 which were collected at Astoria, Oregon Territory, by Lt. W. P. Trowbridge, 

 U. S. A., to whom I take pleasure in dedicating it. 



HoMALOPOMUS TROWBRIDGII 



has the "snout pointed, the mouth deeply cleft, and the posterior extremity of the 

 raaxillaries extending to the vertical line of the posterior edge of the puj)il. The 

 eyes are large. The tips of the pectoral fins reach as far as the anterior margin 

 of the anal fin. The color is greyish brown above, and silvery grey beneath." 



In the Cottoid group there are glorious additions. In the first place I have 

 had the great satisfaction of identifying, from actual specimens, the Coitus asper of 

 Sir John Richardson, and to describe it comparatively with the other members 

 of the same genus. 



Amongst the truly marine representatives I will first introduce a type which 

 seems to bear much closer affinities to the fresh water genera than was anticipa- 

 ted. 



In naming it 



OLIGOCOTTUS, 



allusion is made chiefly to its diminutive size. We have full evidence that the 

 specimens before us are adults, and consequently have not hesitated in the se- 

 lection of that name. We are aware, however, that further search might bring 

 to notice other species not quite so small and still of the same generic stamp. 

 On the other hand, the etymology of a name is of but little avail towards eluci- 

 dating the history of the object it designates. The natural characters of the 

 genus will read as follows : "Head smooth, with the exception of a few spines 

 upon the preopercle and snout. Upper jaw slightly the longest. Teeth upon 

 the premaxillaries, dentaries, front of vomer and palatines. Gill openings 

 continuous under the throat ; branchiostegals six. Dorsal fins contiguous. 

 Caudal posteriorly rounded. Insertion of ventrals backwards the base of pec- 

 torals. Origin of anal fin in advance of the anterior margin of second dorsal. 

 Skin smooth, lateral line continuous for the whole length of the body." 



