209 



Dr. Ayres presented the following descriptions of Fishes believed 

 to be new : 



Sebastodes plavidus (Ayres). Fig. 64. 



This species is very closely aUied to /S. melanops, Gir., and is 

 scarcely to be distinguished from it except by color. It is generally 

 a httle more slender, with the soft dorsal somewhat higher, and the 

 lower jaw a trifle more protuberant. But otherwise the proportions 

 are exceedingly ahke, and it was not till after comparison of multi- 

 tudes of specimens that I felt warranted in separatmg the two 

 species. In general appearance, however, they are entirely dis- 

 tinct, and as they lie in heaps upon the fish-stalls there is no possi- 

 bility of confounding them, for there are no intermediate forms. 

 S. flavidus is always of a dark greenish brown above, becoming 

 yeUowish green on the sides, and still hghter beneath. S. inelanojjs 

 is nearly black above, becomuig merely hghter on the sides and 

 beneath. The points of distinction as expressed thus in words 

 appear very shght, but for the reasons given above I regard the 

 two species as clearly separate from each other. To illustrate them 

 more fully an outline figure of each is given, to which reference 

 may be made for their proportions as the figures are strictly accu- 

 rate in all the details, and may be used for measui-ement with 

 entire confidence. 



S. flavidus is taken in no inconsiderable quantities, being 

 brought to the markets almost as abundantly as *S'. melanops. It 

 seldom exceeds two pounds in weight. 



The reasons for placing this species, together with others, in. the 

 genus Sebastodes will be given in another place. The characters 

 of that genus as originally defined by Mr. Gill appear to me to be 

 merely the specific characters of the single species, S. paucispinis ; 

 modified, as I believe it must be, the genus includes several 

 species. 



Sebastodes ovalis (Ayres). Fig. 65. 



This species is of the type of S. flavidus, which it resembles 

 almost completely in color. It is a stouter fish, the depth being 

 about .32 of the length, while m flavidus it is about .28. In ovalis 

 the spinous dorsal retains in'" a large degree its height, of spmes 

 and membrane, to its junction with the soft portion, the twelfth 

 spine being about two-thirds as high as the fifth ; while in flavidus 

 the twelfth is less than one-thnd as high as the fifth, its membrane 

 joming the thirteenth almost at its very base. In ovalis the soft 

 dorsal is long and rather low, its height being less than one-half its 

 length ; in flavidus it is high and rounded, the height bemg about 

 two-thirds of the length. In ovalis the anal fin is smaller, its 



