PISHES — EMBIOTOCOIDAE — DAMALICHTHYS. 



181 



the ventrals. The lateral line itself is composed of about sixty scales. The dorsal furrow 

 originates under the ninth sinnous ray, extending as far as the middle of tlie length of the soft 

 portion of that fin. The sheath being composed of but one row of scales. As regards the 

 shape of the scales themselves, those of the lateral line are nearly as long as deep, whilst those 

 on the rest of the body are much deeper than long. Their upper, posterior, and inferior 

 margins are rounded, whilst the anterior margin is obtusely angular. Smaller and irregular 

 scales may, as usual, be observed upon the base of the caudal. On the opercular apparatus 

 and cheeks they are large also, there being three rows of them beneath the orbit. As many as 

 eight scales may be counted in the supratympanic patch, the posterior being the largest. 



As to colors, an argentine tint extends over the entire body and sides of the head. The 

 upper surface of the head is brownish purple, which hue may be observed, though much less 

 apparent, along the dorsal region. When the specimens are taken out of the alcohol and exj^osed 

 for some time to the light, obsolete longitudinal darkish streaks make their appearance on the 

 middle of each row or series of scales. The abdomen is yellowish and the fins yellowish grey 

 or olivaceous. 



Specimens about twelve inches in total length were collected at San Francisco, California, by 

 Lieutenant W. P. Trowbridge, United States army. We regret that their state of preservation 

 did not allow making an accurate figure of this species. 



The male and female sexes are perfectly alike in every respect, except in the structure of the 

 anterior third of tlie anal, as alluded to in the other species. 



The ovaries of a female, which we have examined, about the size of a large quill, on being 

 opened, the ovarian membranes could be seen containing within their walls an innumerable 

 quantity of immature eggs, very similar to those of Ennichthys heermanni, figured on Plate 

 XXVI, fig. 9. 



List of specimens. 



DAMALICHTHYS, Girard. 



Gen. Char. — Head well developed. Eyes large. Mouth of medium size ; upper jaw protruding considerably beyond the 

 lower. Teeth few in number, short, and sub-conical, disposed upon one single row. Lip? of moderate thickness; lowe one 

 firmly attached to the symphysis of the jaw. Opercular apparatus very much developed and covered with large scales. 

 Anterior portion of soft dorsal very high. Peduncle of tail slender; caudal fin deeply forked. Anal elongated, its anterior 

 portion the deepest. Ventrals and pectorals proportionally large. 



Sin.—DamaUchtliys, Grd in Proc Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VJI, 1855, 321 . 



This genus, by its natural afiinities, is more closely allied to Embiotoca than to any other of 

 the same family. The most striking difference will be found in a much larger head compared 

 to the body. The upper jaw is likewise considerably longer. The anterior portion of the soft 

 dorsal fin is considerably higher, and the peduncle of the tail longer and slenderer. In regard 

 to the scales, it will be found that their vertical diameter is considerably greater than the 



