96 



D. 13-13; A. 3-7; V. 1-6; P. 15; C. 12. 



Color plain reddish-brown above, lighter beneath. 



Sebastes nebulosus, Ayres. 



My description is drawn from a specimen thirteen inches in 

 length, weighing two pounds and a half, which may be deemed 

 about their average size. 



Form compressed ; head large, four inches in length ; greatest 

 depth an inch anterior to the opercular angle, being there equal to 

 the length of the head ; body tapering thence to the tail ; width 

 of the head two inches and three fourths, width decreasing poste- 

 riorly. 



Scales covering the body, operculum, preoperculum, suboper- 

 culum, suborbitals, and top of the head to the anterior border of 

 the orbit. 



Head spinous ;^ a row of five spines forming a crest on each 

 side of the head, viz : a nasal spine, one at the anterior superior 

 border of the orbit, one on the summit of the orbit half an inch 

 in length, one posterior to the orbit three tenths of an inch in 

 length, one posterior to this and nearer the median line, eight 

 tenths of an inch in length ; the last three are horizontal, and are 

 merely strong ridges with a free spinous apex; the preoperculum 

 is bordered with (commonly) five flat spines about two tenths of 

 an inch in height ; the opercular bone ends in two flat, strong, free 

 spines, the upper one being a fourth of an inch in length; the 

 membranous operculum projects about four tenths of an inch 

 beyond these ; the suboperculum term.inates posteriorly in a con- 

 cealed spine; even the anterior suborbital shows on its inferior 

 border an indication of spinous points ; the bones of the humeral 

 cincture exhibit three well-marked spines. 



Eyes an inch in longitudinal diameter. 



Nostrils immediately anterior to the eyes, the anterior orifice 

 having a membranous prolongation of its posterior border, two 

 tenths of an inch in height. 



Teeth fine, and crowded in the lower jaw, on the intermaxilla- 

 ries, the vomer, the palatine bones, and the superior and inferior 

 pharyngeals ; those on the superior pharyngeals are in three 

 patches on each side. 



