Jordan and Evcrmann . — Fishes of North A merica. 2423 



Ophidmm atro-purpuremn, KiTTLlTZ, Denkwiirrt einer Ecise Euss.-Amer., i, 225, 1858, 

 Alaska. 



Centronotus cristagalli, Gunther, Cat., Ill, 289, 1861, Vancouver Island. 



Anoplarchus purpurescens, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1861, 261, Washington Terri- 

 tory. (Coll. Dr. Kennerly.) 



Anoplarchus cristagalli, Gunther, Cat., in, 564, 1861. 



Anoplarchus atropurpniretis, Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 771, 1883; Jordan &, Starks, 

 Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 846. 



909. XIPHISTES, Jordan & Staiks. 



Xijihistes, Jordan & Starks, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 846 (chirvs). 



This genus is very close to XlpMdion, difieriiig in the well-developed 

 pectoral fius, which are longer thifn eye; lower lateral line not connected 

 with abdominal line. (^Kkidryi, a sword belt.) 



a. Anal spines 3; branches of upper lateral line extending on dorsal fin; color grass- 

 green. ULV.3i;, 2779. 

 aa. Anal spines 2; branches of upper lateral line shorter; color brownish, marbled, 

 and with red blotches. chieus, 2780. 



2779. XIPHISTES ULV.E, Jordan & Starks. 



Head 8; depth 10. D. LXXIV; A. Ill, 48; eye 5 iu head; maxillary 2|; 

 pectoral 3i. Body eel-shaped, as in the related sjiecies ; head short ; mouth 

 small, oblique,maxillaryextending to below posterior margin of eye; jaws 

 .subequal, with canine teeth; 4 enlarged canines in front of lower jaw; 

 teeth in upper jaw gradually enlarged from behind forward; eye moder- 

 ate, equal to length of snout; interorbital space prominent, sharply con- 

 vex, narrower than width of eye; nape not constricted. Five mucous 

 canals radiating downward and backward from eye, not reaching to 

 edge of preopercle, the branches running upward from upper lateral line 

 ending on the membrane of dorsal, the lower lateral line not connected 

 with the abdominal line. Lateral line otherwise as in Xiphistes chiriis. 

 Origin of dorsal at a distance behind nape equal to distance from nape to 

 middle of eye, the fin posteriorly barely connecting with caudal ; anal with 

 3 spines, its origin about a head's length nearer snout than base of caudal, 

 connected with caudal posteriorly ; pectorals equal in length to snout and 

 i eye, slightly shorter than caudal; caudal rounded, fan-shaped. Color 

 olive green above, very bright green below ; middle and Literal line pos- 

 teriorly, with conspicuous white spots, i as large as pupil, each with a 

 black spot before and behind it ; a black streak from tip of snout, through 

 eye, to nape, a streak starting from eye behind quickly fading out; dorsal 

 darker than body, unmarked; the anterior third of anal green, with- 

 out markings, behind this, faint cross bars of brown appear, growing 

 broader and darker posteriorly; caudal olive green, with a light bar 

 across base; pectorals green, without markings. One specimen obtained 

 at Waadda Island, Neah Bay. It was found high on the rocks, among 

 algfe, just below high Avater mark. Length 5 inches. This species is very 

 closely related to Xijihistes chirus; it differs from it chiefly in having 3 anal 



