40 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



coppery red, this color fadiug out on the thoracic region. Base of fins 

 and different parts of the body sometimes with obscure small whitish 

 spots. 



Measurements. 



(i^o. ,*[Jnitecl States National Museum, from Santa Barbara.) 



Extreme lengtli 10, 40 inches. 



Length to base of caudal 8. 70 inches =:^ 1. 00 



Greatest depth 38 



Least depth 11 



Length of head 35 



Diameter of eye 085 



Length of snout 10 



Width of interorhital area 055 



Length of supraocular ridge 05 



Length of occipital ridge .06 



Length of maxillary 18 



Distance from snout to dorsal 325 



Length of base of dorsal 57 



Height of longest spine .13 



Height of longest ray 155 



Length of base of anal 135 



Height of second spine .14 



Height of longest ray .22 



Length of caudal 205 



Width of base of pectoral .11 



Length of jiectoral 265 



Length of ventral 24 



This species is found in great abundance about the island of Santa 

 Cataliua, where eight examples were obtained by the writers. Another 

 was taken at Santa Barbara, where the species is considered rare by 

 the fishermen. It seems to be intermediate between the still rough er- 

 lieaded 8. nigrocinctus, on the one hand, and the smoother 8. fasciatus 

 and 8. mclanops on the other. 



ON THE OCCUKKEIVCE OV C'EPHAr.O§CVtiIiIUM I^ATHCEPS (DIT- 

 MEKIS.) Ollil,, OTS THE COAST OF CALIFORIVIA. 



By DAVID S. JORDAIV and CHARLES H. GILBERT. 



While we were engaged in making collections on the coast of Los 

 Angeles County, CaUfornia, a shark was described to us by a Wilming- 

 ton fisherman ^s having the habit when cailght of filling himself with 

 air "till he was big as a barrel," so that if thrown back in tlie water he 

 wouhl float away on the surfiice, belly upward, etc., exactly after the 

 fashion of the species of Tetrodon. On cross-questioning, the fisherman 

 assured us that the animal was a genuine shark, with the mouth under- 

 neath and many sharp teeth, and that he had frequently taken them 

 near Wilmington. 



At last one of these animals was brought in to us by a fisherman 



