FISHES — EMBIOTOCOIDAE. 167 



United States and Mexican Boundary Commission, assisted by Captain Ottinger, of the United 

 States revenue cutter, at that period in the bay of San Diego, California. The following 

 abstract is taken from the MSS. of Dr. Webb's journal : 



" On the 3d of May, during a boisterous and cold weather, Captain Ottinger caused his 

 seine to be drawn n: .osa the harbor. Caught many tiger and shovel-nose sharks, two flounders, 

 two specimens of a fish somewhat like our sculpin ; also, a number of sinall fish, about three or 

 four inches long, each of tvhich contained ten or twelve living young." 



" Upon gently pressing one of these fishes between the palms of the hands the young would 

 glide, or as it were leap forth, to a considerable distance, and if received in a vessel of water would 

 swim and dart about in full enjoyment of their piscine revels. Some of these viviparous 

 progeny I exhibited to the commissioner and several gentlemen then tarrying at San Diego, 

 and I kept quite a number of them alive in my room many days. In the mother they were not, 

 so to speak, indiscriminately huddled together, but methodically arranged, and placed in such 

 juxtaposition as to form a compact series without the loss of any interstial space ; in other 

 words, so disposed, not in right lines, but in a curvilinear position, and with the head of one 

 to the tail of the adjoining one (and so on in alternate succession) as best to accommodate the 

 whole family. Indeed the same beautiful systematic order, the same adaptness of means to 

 ends were observed here that so eminently characterize all of nature's works." 



"Upon leaving San Diego I took extra pains to preserve specimens of this fish, but these 

 special efforts proved in the main unavailing. I wrapped them separately in cloth, sewed the 

 wrappers, and immersed the whole in whiskey. Our route home was a long and circuitous one, 

 and, much to ray disappointment, on examining the contents of the bottles after my arrival in 

 this city (Boston), I found they were mostly destroyed, with the exception of some of the 

 young." 



We have deemed it interesting to relate the above observations, as they may serve to corrobo- 

 rate those made subsequently by Mr. A. C. Jackson. The species observed by Dr. Webb we refer to 

 Holconotus rhodoterus, the young of which we had an opportunity ourselves to examine in a pregnant 

 specimen from Presidio, California. The young were found in the very position as described 

 by Dr. Webb. 



Much prior to 1842 specimens of this family of fishes were collected by the naturalists of the 

 United States Exploring Expedition, but at a period^ it seems, when the young were not to be 

 observed, and, since the species themselves have not yet been investigated, the discovery of the 

 curious fact of their viviparity has thus been postponed for two entire lustrums. 



It would have given us a great deal of pleasure and personal satisfaction had we been able to 

 identify all the species which have been described by Prof. Agassiz and Dr. W. P. Gibbons. 

 The brevity of their descriptions, without authentic specimens at our command, has made our 

 task one of ungratefulness and of difficulties. Placed between two evils we have chosen that 

 which we considered least prejudicial to the progress of icthyology. The species previously 

 identified we now present with a great deal of caution until safely compared with their proto- 

 typical specimens. It must, nevertheless, be gratifying to icthyologists to find, accompanying 

 our descriptions, figures sufficiently accurate to remove any possible doubt as regards the species 

 which we have in view. A safe opportunity is henceforth afforded to clear up their synonomv, 



