46 first Annual Report 
Ocellated spots behind pectorals present; soft dorsal of 6-8 
rays, very rarely 9; scales above lateral line (from lower 
angle) about 20-24; small, usually not over 100 mm. long; 
color rich, usually variegated. elegans 
No ocellated spots; soft dorsal of 9-10 rays, rounded; scales 
above lateral line, (counted as above) 32-36; larger, usually 
100-200 mm.; brilliant colors lacking. evides 
Gibbonsia elegans (Cooper) 
(Plate IV and Figures 15, 16, 17) 
Length to base caudal 4.5 times depth at anus; head 5 in length; 
eye large, diameter almost or quite equal to distance from eye to 
dorsal, 2.7 in distance from snout to dorsal; scales, counted along 
anterior part of lateral line and thence on a level to base caudal, about 
135; scales above lateral line at lower angle 20-24; scales above lateral 
line at middle of anterior, elevated portion 10-12; dorsal usually 
V-XXX, 7 or 8 in northern, and V-X XVIII, 7 or 8 in southern speei- 
mens, but ranging from V-XXVII to V-XXXI in spines and 7-9 in 
rays; anal IJ-26 to IJ-28 in northern, and I-23 to I-25 in southern 
specimens. (See charts). 
Body rather strongly compressed and deep, tapering rapidly 
behind; caudal peduncle slender; head short, upper outline convex, 
distance from snout to dorsal equal to depth at front of dorsal; mouth 
small, terminal, oblique; maxillary searcely reaching pupil; lower 
jaw slightly projecting; teeth on vomer, none on palatines. Dorsal 
with first three spines elongate, graduated; first usually about 2.5 in 
head, but varying from 1.5-3; fourth, fifth, and sometimes sixth 
spines from one-third to one-half first, and shorter than following, 
but quite variable; third and fourth nearly twice as far apart as 
fourth and fifth; remaining spines uniform, half to two-thirds length 
of first; soft dorsal short, high, abruptly truncate after third or 
fourth ray, first three or four rays (as the case may be) equal and 
close together, remainder abruptly shortened, and conspicuously 
farther apart; membrane connecting them usually translucent. 
Body variously striped and barred, or mottled; always, so far as 
known, with one to seven ocellated spots along each side slightly 
above median line; first just above base of pectoral, remainder uni- 
formly separated and extending to base of soft dorsal; first and last 
two most commonly found. Prevailing color variable, may be red, 
brown, olive, green, chocolate, or other rich shades. The typical 
color pattern is as follows: prevailing color chocolate brown, or dull 
red; head dark above, broken by line running back from eye, through 
opercle to base of pectoral, and by irregular lines above this; head 
below lighter; cheeks spotted with silvery, lower half of iris silvery; 
