FISHES. 303 



by the Eskimo of the eastern coast of Beriug Sea, and are nest to or perhaps equally important 

 with the Dog-salmon in the position it occupies in the food-supply list. It is particularly valuable 

 from the fact that, except during the severe winter months, it is rare that a mess of these tish 

 cannot be secured when all other food fails. 



Lota Macuj.osa (Le S.). Losh (Esk. Munuj IniU-). Plate XIV, Fig. 2.) 



29917. (-254.) Xulato, March, 1681. Losb. 

 3-2823. (48.) Nulato, January, 1878. 



The specimen had the usual profusion of olive on a yellowish-olive ground. 



32902. (09, 100.) Andraevsky, Yukon River, winter, 1877-78. 

 32915, 3291G. (241-242.) Kotlik, January 20, 1881. 



Nelima or Losh. — Mottled irregularly, with dark areas separated by reticulating and irregular 

 lines of yellowish; dingy whitish on ventral surface. 



32957. (317.) Fort Eeliauee, Umier Yukon. Losb. 



For about a month in the Lower Yukon this fish runs, commencing directly after the river 

 freezes over. The large ones are confined to the main rivers, only small individuals running up the 

 small tributary streams. They are abundant in both the Yukon and Kuskoquim Elvers, and are 

 taken in brackish water at the mouths of both these streams where they debouch into Bering Sea. 



During midwinter the Lo.sh is very numerous in the Lower Yukon, and is taken in the fish traps 

 almost to the exclusion of other fish at that time. It is eaten raw or boiled by the natives, both 

 Eskimo and Indian, and is a valuable item in the yearly food-supply of these people. 



Lycodes turnerii Beau. 



3-2879. (67.) Norton .Sound, winter, 1677-78. 



Said by the natives to be not very common. The specimen collected was brought frozen 

 during the winter, and the skin had dried con.siderably, so that the colors were not well marked. 

 The entire upper surface of head of a dark purplish shade. The ground color of entire upper surface 

 of body a lighter shade of the same, barred transversely with light irregular chain like bands of 

 whitish with a blue tint. These bands are coarsely and irregularly reticulated with dark, which 

 gives them a peculiar braided or chain-like appearance. The first of the bauds passes in a curved 

 line iutermediate between head and body on the occipital region, extending back and down behind 

 the pectorals, where it unites with the second chain. The third and fourth bands also unite along 

 the abdominal line. The remaining bauds all cross the tail and are much narrower aud less dis- 

 tinct than the four anterior ones. The abdomen is mottled with bluish white spots along the 

 sides. The main color is a livid purple. Fius all purplish-olive, except where crossed on back 

 and caudal peduncle by the light bands. 



StichvEUS punctatus (Fabr.). 



]_Sticlia:us (?) rothroelii Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., iv, 146 (based on specimens le.ss than U 

 inches long and doubtfully assigned to a new genus, 2\^oto(irammus).'\ 



[Mr. ]Srelsou's specimen is' 2.1 inches long and exhibits many of the characters of the adul. 

 The row of pigment spots under the dorsal base is nearly obsolete, and the squamation is complete, 

 showing the form of lateral line ob.served in the full grown fish. The coloration, too, approaches 

 more nearly to that of the adult. The caudal is rounded. It is probable that the emargination of 

 the caudal mentioned iu my description of Stlchcetis (?) rothrocJcii is the result of mutilation in 

 most cases, although it was noticeable in freshly-caught specimens.— T. H. Bean.] 



38-2-28. (43.) Small Sand-fish. Saint Michaels, August 31, 1877. 

 Entire body, except the abdomen, which is white, a uniform alternation of white spots sur- 

 rounded by pale brownish-olive, forming a tessellated pattern, the brownish covering the most 



