107. COTTID.E RHAMPHOCOTTUS. 
721 
compressed, tlie cheeks siibvertical; orbital ring much elevated above, 
with several blunt protuberances behind; nape much depressed, with 
the base of the dorsal fin rising abruptly above it; mouth small; teeth 
on jaws, vomer, and palatines; preopercle with small bluntish spines 
above; gill-membranes broadly united to the isthmus; a slit behind 
fourth gill; branchiostegals 0; first dorsal falcate, the spines very flex- 
ible, the anterior much elevated, much longer than head, the posterior 
rapidly shortened; second dorsal long and rather high; anal fin similar 
to second dorsal, but shorter and lower; pectorals moderate; ventrals 
I, 3, well developed, nearly as long as head. Pacific coast. Small 
fislies, of singular appearance, {•/aorrjg, sailor; r/Ou^, fish; in allusion 
to the development of the first dorsal fin.) 
1107. ]\. ocuSofasciatus Grd. 
Grayish above; sides with dark marblings and obscure dusky bands; 
a very conspicuous black band through the eye and across cheeks; first 
dorsal blackish; other fins barred with light and dark; ventrals plain. 
Maxillary reaching to opimsite pupil; eye very large, longer than snout; 
nasal si)ines conspicuous, curved ; maxillary and edge of preopercle with 
minute cirri; orbit with a branched cirrus, as long as pupil; the narrow 
interorbital space deeply channelled; suiwaocular ridge j)osteriorly with 
3 blunt tubercles; 2 compressed tubercles on each side of first dorsal; 
a deep pit at nape, extending under origin of first dorsal; spinous dor- 
sal smooth; rays of soft dorsal and caudal roughened with prickles; 
dorsal spines nearly twice length of head; ventrals f length of head, 
a little shorter than caudal; pectorals long. Head 3.J; depth 3^. D. 
IX-28; A. 19; P. 14; V. I, 3; Lat. 1. 44. L. 6 inches. Pacific coast, 
San Francisco to Uualashka; chiefly northward. 
{Blepsias octilofasciatits Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pliila. 1857, 202; Giiuther, ii, 
157; Steiudacbner, Icbth. Beitriige, v, 130.) 
3§0.— RHAMPHOCOTTUS Giintber. 
(Giiutber, Ann. Nat. Hist, xiv, 369, 1874: type Bhampliocottus richardsoni Gtintber.) 
Body short, elevated. Head very large, its greatest depth greater 
than that of the body; skull with 2 strong bony ridges from above the 
front of the eye, continuous with 2 large occipital ridges, leaving the 
interorbital space and middle line of the top of the head strongly 
concave; snout slender, narrow, and abruptly protruding; mouth very 
narrow, fl-shaped, its gape longer than wide; teeth villiform, none on 
the vomer or palatines; gill-oiiening confined to the region above the 
Bull. Xat. Mus. No. 16 46 
