112 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxvii. 



One specimen has well-developed coronal spines, but is otherwise 

 indistinguishable from the others. 



This species is extremely common in northern Japan, its range 

 coinciding- with that of Sebastode.s taczanowahlL Our numerous speci- 

 mens are from Otaru, Iwanai, Aomori, Same, Mororan, and Hakodate, 

 where it is especially abundant. 



But one species of this t3"pe is represented in our collections, JhiI'o- 

 datis and scJdegelil l)eing the same, and apparently identical with the 

 Spams fmcesce7is of Houttuyn. If the scales in the t^'pe of S. Ixd-o- 

 datls are counted so as to give the subvertical series above lateral line, 

 there would l>e 00 to 68 as described for S. xcJdegelll. 



Of the California species, this most resembles Seha-stodes atromreni<. 



{fimcescenn^ growing dusky.) 



3. SEBASTICHTHYS Gill. 



Sebastichthys Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1862, p. 329 {rugrodnctufi) . 

 Sehastomus Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1864, p. 147 {rosaceus). 

 Pteropodus Eigenmann and Beeson, Amer. Nat., 1893, p. 670 {maliger). 

 Audospina Eigenmann and Beeson, Amer. Nat., 1893, p. 670 {anricidatus). 

 Hispaniscus JonoAys and Evermann, Check List Fish. N. M. Amer., 1896, p. 431 

 {rubrimnctus) . 

 This genus is closely allied to Sehastodes^ being connected with it l)y 

 an almost continuous series of species. As a whole it differs in the 

 nearly straight base of the skull, the convex interorbital space, and 

 the short, thick, gill-rakers. All these characters are subject to large 

 variation, and while the Japanese species are well defined, there are 

 some American species intermediate between the two groups. Species 

 of this type are found also on the coasts of Chile and of Cape Colony. 

 [ffs/iaarog^ magnificent; ix^^^'s, lish.) 



a. Pteropodus. Supraocular spine wanting; scales large; pores 30 to 40; jaws scale- 

 less or nearly so; peritoneum white. 



b. Gill rakers relatively long and slender, 2^ to 3 in diameter of eye; 14 to 16 on 

 lower part of arch. Lower jaw not projecting. 

 c. Color brown, with marblings and spots of darker brown and white; usually 



a darker cross shade under each half of dorsal ndpes, 15. 



cc. Color dusky brown, nearly uniform, covered by snowy spots; second anal 



spine enlarged nivoms, 16. 



ccc. Color bright greenish yellow, with an irregular dark shade aliove and below, 

 leaving lateral line in a dark streak; a dark shade ^long base of dorsal; dark 



shades across cheek tririttatus, 17. 



bh. Gill rakers relatively short and thick, 4 to 5 in diameter of eye, 10 to 14 en 

 -'ower part of arch; fins usually much spotted. 

 i. Interorbital area flat, rather wide and scaly. 

 e. Cranial ridges rather low; scales small; 40 to 65 pores in lateral line; 

 body rather elongate, little compressed, its depth 3 in length; eye small, 

 5 in head. Color gray, clouded, or barred and spotted with dark; soft 

 fins with small spots; cheek with dark bars. 



f. Scales 59 to 65; over 50 pores in lateral line oblongu.s, 18. 



ff. Scales 45 to 50; about 40 pores in lateral line initsukurn, 19. 



