ICHTHYOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS OF THE ALBATROSS. 461 



EEPORT UPON THE FISHES COLLECTED BY THE STEAMER ALBATROSS 

 OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA, BETWEEN POINT CONCEPTION AND 

 POINT ARENA, IN MARCH AND APRIL, 1890. 



During parts of March and. April, 1890, the TJ, S. Fish Commission 

 steamer Albatross made an investigation of the fishing-grounds on the 

 coast of California from Point Conception to Point Arena, in contin- 

 uation of the inquiries conducted the previous year to the southward 

 of Point Conception. On the earlier expedition the writer acted as 

 chief naturalist of the Albatross, and the new fishes obtained at that 

 time have been described by him in a paper published in 1890, in the 

 Proceedings of the United States National Museum.* The collection 

 of fishes made on the latter cruise was also referred to him and is dis- 

 cussed in the present paper. It consists largely of the same species 

 secured south of Point Conception, but was found to contain represent- 

 atives of one undescribed genus and four new species. 



The cruise of March and April, 1890, is fully described by Lieut. 

 Commander Z. L. Tanner, CJ. S. N., the commanding officer of the 

 steamer Albatross, in his report for that year, pp. 219-226; and the 

 fishery results are discussed by Mr. A. B. Alexander, fishery expert of 

 the Albatross, in the same connection, pp. 275-279. t 



The investigations were carried from the shallow water along shore 

 into a depth of 627 fathoms, the fishery work having been conducted 

 chiefly by means of the beam trawl, which was employed at 113 sep- 

 arate stations. The positions of the different stations, the depth of 

 water, character of bottom found at each, with other data, are given in 

 the report of Lieut. Commander Tanner above referred to. 



Family HEPTATREMID.ffl. 



1. Polistotrema stouti (Lockington). 



Stations 3103 and 3126 ; depths 67 and 456 fathoms. 



Family SCYLLIORHINIDiE. The Cat Sharks. 



2. Catulus xaniurus Gilbert. 



Stations 3126, 3196, and 3200, in 200 to 456 fathoms, 



In two young specimens, 105 and 110 mm. long, a series of spines is developed on 

 each side of the middle line of back, larger than the prickles and iirmly set. These 

 begin above the second or third gill-slit, continue to slightly beyond front of first 

 dorsal fin, and contain 15 to 18 spines. A similar series of lateral spinelets is 

 described by Eigenmann in young of Scylliorhinus ventriosua^^ Catulus uter J. & G. 

 (West American Scientist, Nov., 1889, p. 151). It is not improbable that they may 



* Scientific results of explorations by the U. S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross, 

 No. XII. — A preliminary report on the fishes collected by the steamer Albatross on the 

 Pacific Coast of North America during the year 1889, with descriptions of 12 new 

 genera and 92 new species, by Charles H. Gilbert; Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1890, 49-126. 



t Report upon the investigations of the U. S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross 

 from July 1, 1889, to June 30, 1890, by Lieut. Commander Z. L. Tanner, U. S. N., 

 commanding. Keport U. S. Fish Comm. for 1889-1891, 207-342. 



