466 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



lougest. Opercular spines usual. A small spiue ou the iuteropercle 

 and one on the subopercle at the junction of the two bones. Supra- 

 scapular spines present. Gill-rakers short, rather thick, compressed 

 and somewhat clavate, the longest about two-ninths the diameter of the 

 orbit. Scales moderate, rough, the accessory ones few; about 56 trans- 

 verse series. Lower jaw, maxillary, nasal region, and space in front of 

 eye naked. 



Dorsal spines high and strong, the third to sixth spines subequal and 

 highest, rather higher than the highest soft rays. Dorsal fin dqeply 

 emarginate. Second anal spine much stronger than third, the two about 

 equal in length. Pectorals with very broad base, reaching beyond the 

 tips of the ventrals, which reach nearly to the vent. The lower pectoral 

 rays thickened. Caudal slightly rounded. 



D. XII, I, 13 ; A. Ill, 6. 



Coloration black and yellow; the latter shade is usually a clear, 

 warm, brownish yellow, with some specks of deeper orange. It varies 

 from a dusky orange to olivaceous yellow, the latter color more often 

 seen on the belly. The dark shades are black or dark brown, with 

 slight olive tinge. The colors are usually purest in specimens taken in 

 de(rp water. 



The dark color predominates on the back ; the membrane between the 

 third and fourth dorsal spines and an area at the base of these spines 

 is always pale ; a yellow blotch extends thence downward and back- 

 ward, joining the light color of the belly. Another light area passes 

 from near the angle of the opercle around the pectorals, uniting below 

 them. Tbree other blotches occur along the back, one under the eighth 

 dorsal spine, one under the last spine, and one under the last soft ray; 

 from each of these irregular pale areas extend down the sides. The 

 fins have the color of the region to which they belong. Head above 

 with dusky cross-shades and faint bands radiating from the eye. 



This species reaches a length of about 15 inches, and is found in large 

 numbers on the coast of California, from the island of San Nicolas, 

 which marks the southern limit of the abundance of the "rock-fish", to 

 Cape Mendocino. It is common in the markets of San Francisco, 

 although not one of the most abundant species. Its afiinity with S. car- 

 natus has been elsewhere noticed (Proc. CJ. S. Nat. I\Ius. iii, 1880, 74). 



A table of measurements will be found on page 7a of vol. iii. 



The species described by us as Sehastiehthys v ex i liar it's in vol. iii, p. 292, 

 is represented in Puget Sound and the Gulf of Georgia by a variety 

 or subspecies with lower dorsal spines and much darker and duller col- 

 oration, the dark shades being of a reddish brown. The latter form is 

 apparently identical with Sebastes canrinns Richardson, Ichth. Voy. 

 Sulphur, i, 1844, 77, pi. 41, tig. 1, described from Sitka. 



The species may therefore take the name of iSebastichthys caurinus, 

 and the Cahfornia form that of subspecies vexillaris. 



Indiana State University, 



Bloomington, Ind., November 6, 1880. 



