108 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



On New Genera and Species of Calif ornian Fishes— No. III. 



BY J. G. COOPER, M. D. 



Myxodes Cuvier, 1817. 

 M. elegans, Cooper, State Collection, No. 707. [Fig. 23.] 

 Specific characters. — Form elongated, high and narrow, the head wider than 

 the thickest part of body. Length of snout equal to diameter of eye, lower 

 jaw very slightly longest. Total length a little more than four and a half times 

 that of head, which is equal to the greatest height of body. Head moderately 

 arched, rounded above, the width between eyes a little less than the width of 

 orbit. Orbit circular, contained four and a half times in length of head. An- 

 terior lobe of dorsal commencing just behind head, triangular, one-twentieth of 

 the length of fin, equal to the middle lobe in height ; middle lobe gradually 

 arched, its spines more slender than those of the first lobe ; posterior lobe with 

 soft rays only, about equal to the first, in size and form, extending nearly to the 

 tail. Caudal fin quadrangular, its end obtusely truncate, nearly twice as long 

 as wide. Anal commencing opposite seventeenth dorsal spine, nearly straight, 

 its height one-fifth its length, and ending a little anterior to end of dorsal. 

 Ventrals narrow, the middle ray longest. Pectorals arising opposite third 

 dorsal spine, nearly as wide as long. 



D. V-xxvii to xxx-8 ; C. 5-5 ; A. 26 to 28 ; V. 3 ; P. 11. 



Scales in about 250 rows along middle of side, in ^ — la vertical rows along 

 lateral line. Proportional measurements :' 



Length of largest specimen, 4 in <> 100. 



Length of head 20 



Height of pectoral 15 



Length of dorsal 72 



Length of caudal 12 



Length of anal 44 



Height of ventral 09 



Height of body 22 



Width of body 08 



Colors. — Exceedingly variable, but the general pattern, as preserved in alco- 

 hol, consists of a series of vertical bands, alternating with spots of various 

 shapes and sizes, and often densely mottled with dark and light blotches dis- 

 tributed regularly, but not describable. The fins have alternating bands, and 

 in all the specimens the membrane between the third and fourth dorsal spine is 

 as clear as glass, as if intended to be seen through, but probably shines in the 

 water as a sort of signal. When fresh the colors of those from San Diego were 

 as follows : 1st, dark brown, a purple lateral stripe, sides with dark and light 

 brown bars, having silvery blotches between them ; below yellowish, top and 

 sides of head blotched with yellow, a bright red ring with a green centre near 

 pectorals, and another near caudal. Dorsal with alternating bars of olive and 

 yellow ; pectoral yellow at base, its rays reddish, barred with purple, ventrals 

 and anal smoky. 



Another was striped and cross-barred with brown, and mingled with this 



