70 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATF.S NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Family TETRODONTID^. 



269. Cirrhisomus politus (Ayres) J. & G. 



Xot obtained by us. A specimen in collection of California Academy, 

 from San Diego. 



Family DIODONTID^. 



270. Diodon maculatas Lac 



One specimen, from near San Diego. 



Family ORTHAGORISCID^. 



271. Mola rotunda Cuvior. — Suiifisli ; MoJa. 



Abundant in Santa Barbara Cliaunel in summer; often seen playing 

 near the surface, and even leaping from the water ; not often taken, as 

 they are not easily caught and not used for food. Reaches a weight of 

 200 pounds or more. 



United States National Museujvi, 



December 1, 1880. 



DESCRVPTIOTV OF !>iE:BA!4TICIITIIY^ MYSTHVU!^. 



By DAVID S. JORDAIV and CHARLES II. GILBERT. 



Sebastichthys mystinus. 



Sebastes variahllis Ayres, Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. i, 7, 18.54 (not of Pallas, = 



Epinephcliis ciliaius Tilesius). 

 Sehastodes melanops Ayres, Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. ii, 216 (iu iiart; probably 



not the figure 66, which more resembles S.meJanops ; not Seiastes melaiwpx 



Girard, ^Sehastosomus shtuilans Gill). 

 Seiastichthys melanops Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns. iii, 1880, 289, 



and elsewhere. 

 Sebastichthys mystinus Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns. iii, 1880, 44.5 ; 



1881, 8. 



Two species have been confounded by pre^ ious writers under the name 

 of Sebastes or Sebastosomus melanops. The one, darker in color, with 

 smaller mouth and black peritoneum, is found from Puget Sound to San 

 Diego, being most common southward, and is perhaps the most abun- 

 dant species of the genus on the coast. The other, paler and more spotted, 

 with larger mouth and white peritoneum, ranges from Monterey to Sitka, 

 being most common northward. The first is the "Peche Pretre" of the 

 Monterey fishermen, the second the "Black Bass" of the anglers of 

 Puget Sound. The first is referred to by us as Sebastichthys melanops 

 on page 289 and elsewhere in these Proceedings (Vol. Ill); the second 

 as Sebastichthys simtilans. The original description by Girard of his 

 Sebastes melanops, however, can refer only to the second fish, as is shown 

 by the following statements (U. S. Pac. VI. R. Expl. Fishes, 81): 



