Laguna WBarine Laboratorp 39 
No. 2. Female, three and one-half inches long. Light; entire 
surface presenting a very speckled appearance. An apical band of 
yellow on spinous dorsal; no red spots; membrane of soft dorsal 
greenish; caudal faint salmon color. Spots on sides and belly salmon 
and silver mixed. 
No. 4. Very dark; body bands almost black; fins and entire body 
except region around pectorals dusky; entire head, cheeks, and throat 
nearly black. (In other forms the throat is almost invariably light). 
Not only is this species extremely variable in coloration, but it 
shows the same tendency, though perhaps not to such an extent, in 
other characters. The following tables will indicate some of these: 
Fin Rays of Fifteen Specimens. 
D. TX-16; A. 13, (four specimens). 
D. [X-17; A. 14, (five specimens). 
D. [X-17; A. 13, (six specimens). 
Pylorie ceca usually 7-8, often 9 or even 10. 
Alimentary canal in length of fish in six specimens as follows: 
1, 1.12, 1.2, 1.24, 1.36, 1.45. In the last case it is seen to be almost 
one-half longer than in the first. In spite of the difference in length, 
however, the general position of the canal in the body cavity is fairly 
constant, the extra length being given by small kinks here and there. 
The other visceral organs are also quite stable in form and location. 
(Note the contrast with Gibbonsia elegans, which, like this species, 
has many variable characters). 
Figure 9 shows a specimen in which the body walls, and most of 
the head have been removed, leaving the internal organs from the 
gills back. The relatively small liver, and relatively large stomach 
and pyloric ceca are most noticeable, the stomach occupying a large 
portion of the abdominal cavity. The real proportions of the stomach 
are better shown in Figure 10, which is an outline of the alimentary 
canal, including the pharynx with its peculiar patches of teeth. The 
pertinence of such a large stomach, a comparatively short intestine, 
and the peculiar pharyngeal teeth pads, is evident upon examination 
of the food taken. 
Food—Mainly Mollusea, Crustacea, and annulate worms, especial- 
ly the first. Of Mollusea there were found principally limpets, and 
other small lamellibranchs, and various gasteropods; of Crustacea, 
many small crabs, and a few amphipods; of worms, chetopods. No 
traces of plant food were found. One specimen 82 mm. long contained 
among other things an abalone 15 mm. long, and a section of a cheto- 
pod 8 mm. wide. 
