476 SYDNEY E. JOHNSON 



marked concavity of the superior surface of the cranium, the 

 short, elevated, and compressed form of the skeleton as a whole, 

 and the smooth fibrous nature of the large bony ridges. 



In addition to osteological differences, there are certain super- 

 ficial characters which are more or less striking. Of these may 

 be mentioned the rich color pattern and the unusual type of 

 scales. 



While it does not appear that Rhamphocottus diverges enough 

 from the Cottidae to justify the creation of a superfamily, the 

 differences are, in my opinion, of family value. Such an unusual 

 combination of striking characters is certainly not found in any 

 typical member of the Cottidae. This conclusion is in accord 

 with the classification of Jordan and Starks and of Jordan and 

 Evermann, but differs from the opinion expressed by Gill that 

 Rhamphocottus probably represents a superfamily and from the 

 original classification of Giinther who placed Rhamphocottus 

 with the Cottidae. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY ' 



Bean, T. H. 1881 A preliminary catalogue of the fishes of Alaskan and adjacent 

 waters. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 11. 



Gill, Theodore 1888 On the classification of the mail-cheeked fishes. Proc. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 11. 



GtJNTHER, Albert C. 1880 An introduction to the study of fishes. London. 



Jordan .\nd Evermann 1898 The fishes of North and Middle America. Bull. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus., no. 47. 



Jordan and Gilbert 1883 Synopsis of the fishes of North America. Bull. U. 

 S. Nat. Mus., no. 16. 



JoRD.\N AND Starks 1895 The fishes of Puget Sound. Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci- 

 ence, Series II, vol. 5. 



Starks, Edwin C. 1901 The synonomy of the fish skeleton. Proc. Wash. Acad, 

 of Science, vol. 3. 



