48 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Family EPHIPP1DJ3. 



104. Chastodipterus faber (Block) Bleeker. 



Described from tSan Diego as Ephippns zonatus Gr<l. Not obtained 

 1)3^ us. 



Family SCI.EmDJE. 



105. Seriphus politus Ayies. — Qiieen-Ji-sh ; KiiKj-Jhli. 



From San Francisco southward; abundant in summer. Found along 

 sand}' shores and taken with seines, sometimes in great numbers, nota- 

 bly at Santa Barbara and Soquel. It is considered the best of the 

 small Sciienoids, but is too small to be of very great importance. It 

 reaches a length of 8 inches, but is usually still smaller. 



106. Cynoscion parvipiune Ayie.s. — Bine-fish ; Corvhia; Cararina; .Sea BatiS. 



{Oiolithns magdaleno} Steiiul.) 



From San Pedro southward ; very abundant at San Diego. It fre- 

 (juents the bays, and is taken in seines and gill-nets. It feeds chietly 

 on Crustacea. Its flesh is extremely good when fresh, but it soon softens, 

 being similar to that of the weak-fish (C. regale) in that resi>ect. It 

 reaches a length of about 2 feet and a weight of 8 pounds. 



107. Atractoscion nobile (Ayres) Gill. — IVIiltv Sta Bush ; Sea Buss : Sea Trout {i/ij.) : 



Curvina. 



(Ofolithus calif or nieii sis Steind.) 



From San Francisco southward ; very abundant in spring and summer ; 

 not often seen in winter ; only adults usually taken in spring. Caught by 

 trolling and in gill-nets, the young in summer by seines. It reaches a 

 length of 4 feet and a weight of 50 pounds or more. Its flesh is highly 

 esteemed, and is much firmer than that of the eastern weak-fish. The 

 food consists of Crustacea, anchovies, etc. 



The young (''sea trout") is often considered by fishermen as a dis- 

 tinct species. 



108. Menticirrus undulaUis (Gi'd.) Gill.— i)«ryc6'; Sucker; StiGkcr Bass. 



From Santa Barbara southward; abundant; taken in seines and gill- 

 nets along sandy shores. It reaches a length of 18 ijiches and a weight 

 of 2^ pounds. It is held in moderate esteem as a food-fish. It feeds 

 largely on crnstacea. Girard's type of Umbrina undulata is a very young 

 specimen of this sjiecies. 



109. XTinbriiia xanti Gill. — Yellow-finned lioncador ; Yellow-tail Boncador. 



From Santa Barbara southward; generally abundant. Found alojig 

 sandy shores, and taken in seines and gill-nets. It feeds on Crustacea, 

 squids, etc., and sj)awns in July. It reaches a length of about a foot 

 and a weight of nearly 2 pounds. It is considered a food-fish of good 

 quality, and many are split and salted at San Pedro. 



