98 



less than in nehulosus ; — riiher has the anterior inferior border of 

 the operculum serrated ; in nehulosus it is plain ; — ruber is of a 

 bright red color, nearly uniform, except that it grows lighter 

 beneath ; nehulosus is clouded, as described ; — ruber grows to a 

 greater size, often weighing ten to twelve pounds ; nehulosus sel- 

 dom exceeds four pounds. 



Sebastes ruber, var. parvus, Ayres. This is distinguished 

 from the typical form, by having the head more depressed, with 

 the top more flattened, the spines of the head more slender, the 

 lower jaw longer, the body more compressed, and the color dark 

 brown ; it is also always of small size, seldom exceeding half a 

 pound in weight. 



This will probably yet require to be separated from ruber, as 

 a distinct species. It is exceedingly abundant here. 



S. ruber is closely allied to S. Norvegicus, Cuv. It is, how- 

 ever, distinct by the proportions of the fins, the length of the 

 lower jaw, the size of the head and development of its spines, 

 and the form of the tail. 



Sebastes variabilis, Cuv. 



Under this name I place a species of Rock Fish, which is not 

 uncommon in the markets, of a plain blackish-brown color, 

 lighter beneath, with no spines on the top of the head, except 

 occasionally a slight indication of a nasal spine, with the edge of 

 the suborbitars nearly smooth, and having a weight of one to two 

 pounds. Cuvier's specimens were derived from the Aleutian 

 Islands, and the only transcript of his description in my posses- 

 sion is so brief, as to render it a little uncertain whether our fish 

 is identical with his ; it may yet prove distinct. The fin-ray for- 

 mula agrees closely. 



Of the Rock Fish which have been here described, S. ruber 

 is the most abundant, and the most important commercially ; it 

 is consumed in large quantities daily, and is, like the others, an 

 excellent fish. S. nehulosus is less numerous, though still quite 

 common. S. variabilis cannot be considered common, and of 

 S. paucispinis I have seen but a few specimens. 



