4. GOBIESOX. 505 



" The dorsal commences a little beyond the middle of the entire 

 length, and leaves a space between it and the caudal ; the rays 

 nearly equal, except the first, which is short. The anal begins under 

 the fourth or fifth d(jrsal ray, and extends a trifle furtlier than that 

 fin. Caudal slightly rounded. 



" Back and sides hght brown, reticulated with black ; the reticu- 

 lations have a tendency to form three or four broad fasciae across the 

 back. Under-parts yellowish." 



Length of the specimens observed two and a half inches. 



7. Gobiesox maeandricus. 



Lepadogaster reticulatus, Girunl in JProc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1854, 



p. loo. 

 majandricus, Girard in U. S. Pucif. R. R. Exped. Fishes, p. 130. 



D. 14. A. 13. C. 12. V. 1/4. 



A vertical fold of the skin at the base of the pectoral ; the coracoid 

 is so high as to reach nearly to the upper margin of the pectoral. A 

 band of short conical teeth in the upper jaw, those of the outer series 

 being somewhat enlarged ; a series of teeth in the low(,'r jaw. the six 

 anterior of which are compressed, cutting, subhorizontal, longer than 

 the others ; several small teeth behind the incisors. The diameter 

 of the eye is one-third of the width of the interorbital space. 



Coasts of California. 



a-d. Fine specimens. Monterey. 



The general habit of tliis species is the same as in G. ceplialtts. 

 The head is as broad as long, with its profile nearly semicircular, the 

 snout being very obtuse and rounded. The upper surface of the 

 head is quite flat, gently sloping downwards from the nape to the 

 snout in a straight line. The greatest width of the interorbital space 

 is contained twice and a half in the length of the head, or equal 

 to three times the diameter of the ej^e. The cleft of the mouth is 

 horizontal, curved, of moderate width, extending to the vertical 

 from the anterior margin of the eye. The lips are thick, the lower 

 being divided into three portions by vertical grooves ; the lateral 

 portions are broad, hanging downwards. The eye is rather small, 

 one-seventh of the length of the head : two nostrils opposite the 

 upper angle of the orbit ; the anterior with a small bilobed tentacle. 

 The lower angle of the opercular apparatus terminates posteriorly in 

 an obtuse moveable point enveloped in skin and directed backwards. 

 The gill-openings, gills, and pseudobrancliiaj are the same as in G. 

 cepludus. 



The dorsal fin commences above the vent, and the distance of its 

 origin from the caudal is rather more than one-half of its distance 

 from the snout. Caudal rounded, of moderate length. The anal 

 commences vertically below the fourth doi'sal ray and terminates 

 opposite the end of the dorsal. The pectoral is broad, of moderate 

 length, with its margin rounded and Avith a broad cutaneous flap 

 at its base : inferioi'ly it is slightly connected with the ventral, 



