PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 55 



of the San Francisco markets. It feeds chiefly on Crustacea and vrorms. 

 It dies soon after being taken from the water, and does not Iceep very 

 long before softening. The fish spawns in July. The males {Ghiropsis 

 constellatus Grd.) and the females {G. (/uttatus Grd.) differ so much in 

 color tliat they luive been usually taken f<n" distinct s])ecies. The form 

 lately described by Mr. Lockington as Chirus maculoseriatus is, so far 

 as we have noticed, always female, and it seems to vary by insensible 

 degrees into the ordinary guttatuH. It reaches a length of 15 inches and 

 a weight of 2-3 pounds. It is a foodllsh of fair quality, but inferior to 

 the Ophidon and Schasiichthys. 



153. Hexagranimus superciliosus (Pallns) J. & G. — Sea Trout. 



From jMontere}' northward; not very common south of Puget Sound, 

 and not very abundant there. In food, size, and qualities identical with 

 the preceding. The color is quite variable and the flesh is often blue. 



154. Hexagranimus asper Steller. — Sfarlhii/. 



(Chirus hcxafirammus Gthr. ; Chirui^ trigrammus Cope.) 

 From Puget Sound northward ; abundant everywhere in Puget Sound. 

 Taken in rocky places with seines and gill-nets. Intestines usually with 

 long ttenioid worms. Size and value same as that of other species. 

 The tj'pe of Chirus nebulosus Girard belongs to this species. The tips 

 of the first three soft rays have been broken off, and they were taken by 

 Girard for spines. 



Family SCOEPiENID^. 



155. Sebastodes paucispinis (Ayres) Gill. — Boccaccio; ilcrou ; Jack; Tom Cod. 

 Coast from San Francisco to the Santa Barbara Islands, inhabiting 



chiefly reefs in deep water, the young coming near shore. Taken mostly 

 with hook and line. It feeds on various small fish. It reaches a weight 

 of 12 to 14 ijounds, and is one of the best food-fishes. Many are taken 

 in the winter at IMonterey, and in the summer the young from the 

 wharves. 



Genus SEBASTiCHTnYS Gill. 



The members of this extensive genus arc extremely abundant on our 

 Pacific coast, and form one of the most striking features of its fauna.. 

 All are food-fish of good quality, and are sold in the maikets under tlu^ 

 general name of rock-fish or rock-cod. All the species are ovovivipa- 

 rous. The young are produced in enormous numbers, and are brought 

 forth in early summer or spring. They are then very slender, with large 

 eyes and imperfectly developed fins, and are from ^ to ^ inch in total 

 length. 



156. Sebastichthys flavidus (Ayrcs) Lockington. — Yelloiv-tail. 



From San Diego to Cape JMendocino; very abundant in Monterey 

 Bay and about San Francisco. It is Ibund in both deep ;ui(l .shallow 



