122 



U. 8. P. K. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



than the insertion of the caudal ; the rays of which it is composed are all soft, articulated, and 

 branched. It increases slightly in depth from its origin to its terminus. The caudal fin is 

 slender, being enclosed for half its length by both the dorsal and anal fins. The pectorals are 

 small and sub- ovoid in shape. 



Br. yi : VI ; D XXV, 42 ; A 42 ; C 2, 1, 7, 6, 1, 2 ; V ; P 10. 



The scales are very small, imbedded, not imbricated; they are elongated, narrowest anteriorly, 

 exhibiting concentric striae^ but no diverging grooves. The entire head is smooth and scaleless. 

 Tlie lateral line, from the upper and posterior angle of the opercle, ascends by a gradual curve, 

 extends along the upper region of the back, nearer the base of the dorsal than the middle of the 

 flanks, and terminates before it reaches the caudal fin. It is composed of two irregular parallel 

 rows of pores in communication with a main tube. From the origin of the lateral line, near 

 the thoracic belt, a series of pores proceeds along the temporal region, and when half way it 

 bifurcates, one series going to the occiput, the other to the orbit, which it surrounds. Another 

 series extends along the limb of the preopercle and dentar bone (lower jaw). 



The anterior portion of body and head is of a uniform deep brownish violet ; the posterior 

 portion exhibits a somewhat more brownish hue, over which is spread a violaceous tint ; the fins 

 are all deep violet. A deep purplish violet crescent-shaped vitta extends from either eye to the 

 occiput. Two oblique vittse on the sides of head, margined with a white filet, start, one from 

 the anterior rim, the other from the posterior half of the orbit to the branchiostegal apparatus. 



References to thefgures. — Plate XXVb, fig. 4, represents C ebidiclithys violaceus, size of life, 

 from Monterey, California. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a scale taken upon the middle of the 

 flanks. 



List of specimens. 



Locality. 



San Francisco, Cal 



Monterey, Cal 



San Luis Obispo, Cal 



Fort Steilacoom, W. T. . 

 Sands of Monterey beach 



When col- 

 lected. 



1856 

 1855 

 1853 

 1854 

 1858 



Whence obtained. 



Dr. W. 0. Ayres 



A. S. Taylor, Esq 



Lt. W. P. lYowbridge. 



Gov. 1. I. Stevens 



A. S. Taylor, Esq 



Origu' 1 

 No, 



28 



Nature of 

 specimens. 



Alcoholic. 

 ....do 



..<io... 

 ..do... 

 ..do... 



Collected by — 



Dr. Ayres 



A. S Taylor... 

 Lt. Trowbridge. 

 Dr. G. Suckley., 

 A. S. Taylor 



LUMPENUS, Reinh. 



Gen. Char. — Body very elongated, compressed, or sub-cylindrical. Head moderate ; snout sub-conical ; mouth moderate. 

 Canine and card-lilto teeth upon the jaws ; card or velvet-like teeth upon the palatines. Vomer toothless. Torguo smooth. 

 Branchial apertures continuous under the throat. Dorsal rays all spinous; anal rays all soft. Caudal lanceolated not contiguous 

 to either the dorsal or anal. Ventral fins .slender, inserted under the throat, in advance of the base of the pectorals. Pectorals, 

 large, fan-like. Scales quite small ; lateral line inconspicuous. 



Syn.— Liimpenus, Reinh. in Overs. Vidensk. Selsk. Forh. 1835-'36.— Kroter, in Kong. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Naturw. 

 og Mathom. Afhandl. VII, 1838, 194 ; &, Danm. Fisko. I, 1840, 332.— Nilss. Skand. Faun. IV, 1852, 190. 

 Leptogunncllus, Ayres, in Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sc. I, 1855, 26. 



Species of this genus are not uncommon in the northern seas. Many years ago a tolerably 

 good figure was given of one of them by Walbaum in his edition of Artedi's " Genera of 

 Fishes," under the name of Blennius lampraetiformis (Blennius islandicus, Mohr.). Several 



