476 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. IO4 



dish brown below, showing faint dark cross bars, with no 

 bright color anywhere, the yellowish green of the back 

 being last to fade; behind the pectoral each scale has a 

 white spot, these form white lines that run back to a little 

 past the tip of pectoral. All fins dark except pectoral, 

 which is colorless. 



174. Abudefduf declivifrons (Gill). 



This species occurs in rock pools in abundance every- 

 where about Maxatlan, in company with Abudefduf saxa- 

 tilis, from which its duller color readily distinguishes it. 



In life, dusky brownish with many pale spots on edge 

 of scales; these vary a good deal; cross bands blackish; 

 no bright colors. Black spot at base of pectoral con- 

 spicuous, a good mark, varying in size, larger in older 

 specimens. 



175. Microspathodon bairdii (Gill). Plate xliii. 

 Numerous small specimens taken in the rock pools in 



company with Eupomacentrus flavilatus, a species which 

 the present one closely resembles in color, and which 

 scarcely excels it in brilliancy. This species has been well 

 described by Dr. Gill. It seems to reach only a small 

 size, none of ours being more than two inches long. 



It differs from the other species of Microspathodon in 

 its low fins and in color. The latter may be a matter of 

 age only, but this does not seem likely, as the young of 

 Microspathodon dorsal is (called by Dr. Gill quadriga/fa) 

 has essentially the coloration of the adult. Apparently 

 four species of Microspathodon exist on the west coast of 

 Mexico, but it is possible that all are forms of one protean 

 species, for which the earliest specific name is dorsal is. 



Head 3: depth 2; dorsal XII, 16; anal II, 13; eye 2 2 / h 

 in head; pectoral 1% ; anal | longer than head; soft 

 dorsal and anal lobes equal i' ; in head: caudal lobe 1% 

 in head. 



