FISHES — KMBIOTOCOIDAE — EMBIOTOCA PERSPICABILIS. 179 



less tlian five times, as is the case in E. lineafa and E. omata. The undivided rays are nine in 

 number, followed by twenty-one divided up to the third division. The insertion of the ventral 

 fins is opposite the fifth dorsal spine. Their external spine i^ slender and acute, and the 

 articulated rays bifurcate three times, but the third bifurcation does not affect all the sub- 

 divisions. The pectorals are broadly developed and their posterior extremities reach a vertical 

 line which would intersect the last dorsal spine. Their rays subdivide four times. Thus, in 

 the fins, we find : 



Br. V: V; D X, 24 ; A III, 9 -f 21 = 30; 3, 1, 6,6, 1, 2, V I, 5 ; P 22. 



The lateral line forms a curve parallel to that of the back. It contains sixty-two scales.. 

 There are eight longitudinal rows of scales above it and eighteen beneath, largest on the middle 

 of the flanks. The scales themselves are generally longer than deep, provided with but few 

 radiating furrows, and oftentimes not even fully developed, as represented in fig. 3. Scales are 

 well developed on the opercle and cheeks, but rather small in the supratympanic group. 



The ground color is dark reddish brown above and on the sides, with light longitudinal 

 stripes between the rows of scales on the latter region. On the abdomen and thoracic region 

 the hue is of a soiled yellow, with partial metallic reflections. The dorsal, caudal, and anal 

 fins have the same general tint as the upper region of the body, with, perhaps, a redder hue. 

 The ventrals and pectorals are reddish inwardly and olivaceous outwardly. 



The specimen figured being a female, on being opened was found to contain about eighty 

 young of an average size of half an inch. The whole embryo consisting of cells, with no signs 

 yet of the cleft of the mouth. A layer of black pimentum constituted the eye. Membranous 

 ridges above and below showed the first steps in the formation of the fins. The caudal itself 

 was a mere membranous expansion of the cellular substance of the body. As such, the embryos 

 had made their escape from the eggs. They could be seen lying between the ovarian mem- 

 branes in the manner described on p. 165. 



This species inhabits Puget's Sound ; the specimen figured and described was procured at 

 Fort Steilacoom, on the 1st of February, 1855, by Dr. Geo. Suckley, who made the following 

 observation : " This fish was speared in shallow salt water. It is said to be excellent for the 

 table, and is found in tolerable numbers. Below the lateral line are eighteen mazarine blue 

 streaks, running nearly parallel from gills to tail, and both above and below the lateral line a 

 series of blue spots, disposed crescentically beneath the eye and on the opercles. The spaces 

 between these spots are of an olivaceous color, changing, according to light, to resplendent 

 golden and purplish green reflections. The mazarine blue of the back is darker than it is on 

 the sides below the lateral line. When fresh caught the general color of the fish, as it first 

 strikes the eye, is rather more of an indigo blue than a mazarine. Anterior part of the belly 

 golden." 



Plate XXXII, fig. 1, represents Embiotoca perspicahilis, somewhat reduced in size. 



Fig. 2 is a section across the line of greatest depth. 



Fig, 3, a scale from the dorsal region. 



Fig. 4, a scale from the lateral line. 



Fig. 5, a scale from the abdominal region. 



Plate XXVI, fig. 1, exhibits the embryo, size of life^ as removed from the ovarian sheath. 



Fig. 2, the same embryo, double its natural size. 



