1502 BiiUetin 47, Ihiitcd States National Museum. 



caudal and anal edged witli blackish. Length 10 inches. Coast of Cali- 

 fornia, Cape Disappointment to Todos Santos Bay ; on sandy shores in the 

 surf, everywhere common. (rH-^yfenfcHS, silvery.) 



JJ-yper-prosopon argenteum, Gibbons, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pliila. 1854, 10i>, San Francisco. 

 IIyperproso2ion argenteum punctaUim, Gibbons, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1854, 106, San 



Francisco. 

 IIrjperprosopo7i arcuattim, Gibbons, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1854, 125, San Francisco. 

 Holconotus megalops, Gibakd, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1854, 152, Presidio ; Humboldt 



Bay ; Astoria. 

 Ennichthj/s megalops, GiBARD, U. S. Pacific E. E. Surv., X, Fish., 197, 1858. 

 lirainopsis mento (Agassiz MS.) Alexander Aoassiz, Proc. Boat. Soc. Nat. Hist., viii. 



1861, 133, no locality given. 

 Hyperpfosopon argenteus and arcuatus, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 276. 

 Ditrema arcuatum and Bitrema megalops, Gunther, Cat., iv, 249. 



1887, HYPEUPROSOPON AGASSIZII, Gill. 



Head 3i; depth 2. D. IX, 25; A. Ill, 29; lateral line GO. Body elliptic- 

 ovate, the profile nearly straight from the snout to above the occiput, 

 there forming a slight angle, thence straightish to the base of dorsal ; 

 ventral outline variable, sometimes strongly arched ; mouth small, very 

 oblique, the premaxillary on a level of the middle of the pupil, the max- 

 illary scarcely reaching front of pupil; eye i longer than the snout; gill 

 rakers not quite as long as the diameter of the pupil, about 17 on the lower 

 part of arch; 3 rows of scales on cheek; sixth dorsal spine highest, 

 higher than the soft rays; third anal spine much the longest, altout 4 as 

 long as first rays; pectorals falcate, reaching the vertical from tip of ven- 

 trals, which about reach to vent ; origin of ventral spine about 2 scales 

 behind the vertical from posterior end of pectoral base. Length 8 inches. 

 Coast of California, San Francisco to Santa Barbara; not generally 

 abundant; most common along San Luis Obispo County. (Named for 

 Alexander Agassiz, who pul)]ished in 1861 an excellent review of the 

 species of this family.) 

 Hyperprosopon arcuatus, Alexander Agassiz, Proc. Boat. Soc. Nat. Hist. 1861, 125; not 



of Gibbons. 

 Hyperprosopon agassizii, GiLL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 276, California. 

 Amphysticus agassizi, Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 592. 

 Hyperprosopon agassizi, Eigenmann & Ulrey, I. c, 387. 



605. HOLCONOTUS, Agassiz. 



Holconotus, Agassiz, Amer.Journ. Sci. Arts, xvii, May, 1854, 367 (rhodotervs). 

 Oymatogaster, Gibbons, Daily Placer Times and Transcript, Juno 21, 1854 (not May 18, 1854) 

 (pxdchellus) . 



This genus diifers from Amphisiichns chiefly in the absence of a frenum 

 to the lower lij). Vertebr;e 14-|- 18 = 32; gill rakers stout and l)Junt. 

 Body subelliptical, moderately compressed; anal tin as in Aiiqihistichns; 

 its basis below 11 vertebne. One species. (oAkoj, groove; 7'&jro?, back.) 



1888. HOLCONOTUS RHODOTERUS, Agassiz. 



Head 3|; depth 2. D. IX or X, 26; A. Ill, 29; lateral line 69. Body 

 deeper, more elevated, and less compressed than in Iljiperprosopon, form 

 ovate, dorsal and ventral outlines equally curved; profile uearly straight 



