PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 297 



orbital space moderate, ]ess than the diameter of the eye, flattish, with 



two low ridges ; spines of head little divergent backwards. 



Gill-rakers very short, wide, compressed, the longest as wide as high, 



the shortest much wider and not free, all strongly toothed on anterior 



7 

 margin and side; the number about — - only 6 to 9 of them being mov- 



able. 



Scales on body large, the accessory scales almost wanting; about 45 

 transverse series, and about 50 in the course of the lateral line. 



Dorsal spines low, the fifth highest, about two-fifths the length of the 

 head; the last spines not much shortened ; the fin comparatively little 

 emarginate; soft rays considerably higher than the spines. Caudal fin 

 slightly rounded. Aual tin short and high, its spines low, the second as 

 high as the third and much stouter. Pectorals rather short, reaching 

 vent, their base extremely broad, its widtli greater than the length of the 

 eye and about one-third the length of the head; the lower rays much 

 thickened. Ventrals moderate, not quite reaching the tips of the pecto- 

 rals. 



D. Xlir, 13; A. Ill, G. 



Color blackish green, with paler mottlings, the sides spotted with 

 darker ; belly i^ale greenish, often many scales on the side, each with a 

 darker spot ; paired fins dark, often tinged with reddish ; other fins 

 chiefly olivaceous, mottled with darker; anal fin often spotted with 

 black. The brigiitness of the olive and greenish shades is quite vari- 

 able, but the species is always without bands or distinct markings and 

 without distinct red. 



This species is extremely abundant from Point Concepcion to Santa 

 Catalina Island, and large numbers come into the San Francisco market. 

 It may be known at once from all the others by the small gillrakers 

 ("rastra") and by the breadth of its pectoral fins. It grows to the 

 length of about 15 inches. 



S. rastrclllger is intermediate, in regard to the development of the 

 spines, between the grou[)s termed Scbastomus and Sebastosomtis by Pro- 

 fessor Gill. Its relations with 8. nehnlosus are most intimate, and it 

 forms the base of a series ascending in degree of roughness of head, ter- 

 minating in the extreme of 8, nigrocinctus. 



Sebastichthys fasciolaeis Lockington, nom. sp. no v. 



{Scbastes fasciatus Girard, not of Storer.) 



The form described and figured by Girard as SeMstes fasciatus is, in 

 our opinion, specifically distinct from 8cbasfes nebulosus of Ayres, with 

 which it has usually been identified. 



The JinjnQ fasciatus is preoccupied in this group. We have therefore 

 adopted the above name, proposed by JMr. Lockington in MSS. 



Sehastiehthys fascioJaris is very closely related to 8. nebulosus. It is 

 rather stouter, and the slope of the profile is steeper. The ridges on 



