640 Pareioplite, or Mailed-cheek Fishes 
Within the limits of Sebastodes and Sebastichthys is a very large 
range of form and color, far more than should exist within the 
range of a natural genus. On the other hand, all attempts at 
generic subdivision have failed because the species form a number 
of almost perfectly continuous series. At one extreme are species 
with large mouths, small scales, relatively smooth cranium, 
and long gill-rakers. At the other extreme are robust species, 
with the head very rough, the mouth moderate, the scales 
larger, and the gill-rakers short and thick. Still other species 
have slender cranial spines and spots of bright pink in certain 
specialized localities. These approach the genus Helicolenus 
as other species approach Scorpena. 
The various species are known in California as rockfish, or 
rock-cod, in japan as Soi and Mebaru. In both regions they 
form a large part of the bulk of food-fishes, the flesh being 
rather coarse and of moderate flavor. All the species so far 
as known are ovoviviparous, the young being brought forth 
in summer in very great number, born at the length of about 
4 of an inch. The species living close to shore are brown, black, 
or green. Those living in deeper waters are bright red, and 
in still deeper waters often creamy or gray, with the lining of 
the mouth and the peritoneum black. The largest species 
reach a length of two or three feet, the smallest eight or ten 
inches. None is found between Lower California and Peru 
and none south of Nagasaki in Japan. Of the California species 
the following are of most note: Sebastodes paucispinis, the 
Bocaccio of the fishermen, from its large mouth, is an elongate 
fish, dull red in color, and reaching a very large size. In deeper 
waters are Sebastodes jordani and Sebastodes goodei, the former 
elongate and red, the latter more robust and of a very bright 
crimson color. Sebastodes ovalis, the viuva, and Sebastodes 
entomelas are grayish in hue, and the related Sebastodes 
proriger is red. The green rockfish Sebastodes flavidus is 
common along the shore, as also the black rockfish, known 
as péche prétre or priestfish, Sebastodes mystinus. Less com- 
mon is Sebastodes melanops. Similar to this but more orange 
in color is the large Sebastodes miniatus. Somewhat rougher- 
headed is the small grass rockfish, Sebastodes atrovirens. On 
the large red rockfish, Sebastichthys ruberrimus, the spinous 
