FISHES FROM COAST OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 27 



erses eye midway between its front and front of pupil. Fine teeth in bands in 

 jaws and on vomer ; none on palatines. In B. asprellus, also, the vomerine teeth 

 are in a band, not in a single series, as stated in the original description. 

 Branchiostegal membranes broadly united, wholly free from the isthmus in the 

 type. In B. asprellus the gill-membranes vary in this respect, being sometimes 

 wholly free from the isthmus, sometimes attached for half or more than half 

 their width. Preopercle with two short, simple spines, the upper slender and 

 sharp, directed backward and slightly upward, the lower broader and shorter, 

 directed backward and downward. Below and in front of these are two rounded 

 prominences which bear no spines, Opercle ending in a triangular process, 

 which is scarcely spine-like. Nasal spines rather small, a depression between 

 and behind them. No spines on orbital rim, which is not at all raised. The 

 narrow interorbital space is not grooved. Occiput broad and flat, without 

 ridges or spines. A slender filament on upper posterior border of orbit. A 

 similar filament on each side of occiput on its posterior line. 



Body with a dorsal series of imbricated spinous plates, similar to those in 

 B. asprellus. But the plates are smaller, with less evident keels and shorter 

 spines. Along its anterior third the series is accompanied above by a narrow 

 band of smaller plates, which are continued anteriorly on sides of occiput, and 

 merge anteriorly into the patch behind and between the eyes. Posterior portion 

 of snout, the opercles, and the posterior line of occiput with spinous scales; 

 head otherwise naked. 



The vertical fins have long, slender rays as in B. asprelbis. The dorsal fins 

 are separate, but the interspace is less than the diameter of the pupil. The 

 distance from front of anal to vent equals two-thirds diameter of orbit. Ven- 

 trals short, reaching half way to front of anal. Pectorals reaching slightly 

 beyond front of anal, seven-eighths length of head. 



Color light olive or grayish, the lower parts unmarked, the breast and belly 

 silvery. Back crossed by four wide brownish-olive crossbars, the anterior of 

 which, under spinous dorsal, becomes merged into the general brownish-olive 

 coloration of upper portion of head and nape. The edges of the bands are 

 sharply defined, and are marked with concave indentations where encroached 

 upon by roundish light-colored areas. The spaces between the bands are 

 slightly dusky and are marked with some irregular, small, dark blotches along 

 middle of sides. Anteriorly on the back are pairs of round, light-colored spots 

 with darker edges, some of them showing silvery pigment. A small silvery 

 spot aliove the base of each pectoral fin. A narrow dark line across occiput 

 behind the eyes. Dusky blotches on cheeks. A dark bar across the maxillary 

 and lip ; a pair on premaxillaries. Two faint dark bars on the caudal fin, the 

 fins otherwise translucent or whitish, unmarked. 

 Clinocottus analis (Girard). Santa Catalina Island. 



Avernincus sterletus, new species. Plate 2. Type, 103 mm. long, from Albatross 

 Station 3662. 



Very closely related to A. emmelane, with which it agrees in coloration and 

 general apjiearance, as well as in most details of structure. It differs in the follow- 

 ing respects: The snout is shorter, the rostral spines scarcely protruding beyond 

 the premaxillaries ; no barbels on snout below rostral spines or on margin of 

 preorbital, or at mandibular joint; region between rostral spine and front of 

 premaxillaries wholly occupied by a triangular movable plate, with rough, 

 granular surface; breast with three parallel series of sharply keeled plates; no 

 spine at posterior end of premaxillary fossa; ventrals very long and slender, 

 wholly white; spinous dorsal, anal and pectorals with fewer rays. 



Head 4.^ in length ; width at base of pectorals, 7 ; depth 8J. Dorsal vii-8. 

 Anal 9. Pectoral, 12 on each side. Thirty-nine plates in dorso-lateral series. 



Rostral projection shorter than in A. emmelane, with two short, forwardly 

 directed spines, behind which is a pair more widely separated, directed upward 



