138 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. — 
middle of the body, the distance from the first ray to the tip of the 
caudal exceeding the distance to the snout by nearly twice the length 
of the head. The fin rays are very constantly D. LXVI, A. 50. Pee- 
toral fin very short, its length less than the diameter of the eye (about 
three-fifths). : 
These two species are extremely and equally abundant about Monte- 
rey, especially on the Point of Pines. They live under rocks in the 
sand, in crevices of rocks, and in masses of alge between tide-marks. 
They are very active, making their way readily on land, and remaining 
out of water in damp places for hours without inconvenience. We 
have procured upwards of a hundred specimens of each species, and 
find the distinctive characters, although few, to be very constant. 
Xiphister cruoreus (Xiphidium ceruoreum Cope, Proc. Am. Philos. Soe., 
1873), from Alaska, is apparently either identical with Xiphister mucosus 
or closely allied to it. The description agrees better with mucosus than 
with rupestris. 
The systematic position of the genus Xiphister deserves a moment’s 
notice. Professor Gill has referred it to a family, ‘““Yiphidiontide,” dis- 
tinguished from ‘“Stichwide” chiefly by the absence of pyloric ceca, and 
from ‘“ Cebedichthyide” by the short intestinal canal, the absence of 
pyloric cceca, and the absence of soft rays in the dorsal. 
As a matter of fact, the intestinal canal in NXiphister is but little 
shorter than in Cebedichthys. It has jive or six well-developed pyloric ceca. 
Whatever may be the value of the family ‘“ Stichwide,” the writers do 
not believe that Cebedichthys, Xiphister, and Apodichthys are representa- 
tives of distinct families. The lateral line of Cebedichthys, by the way, 
corresponds to the upper lateral line of Xiphister, and like it has for its 
whole length a series of short lateral branches ending in open pores. 
> 
Table of measurements. 
: X. rupes- | X. rupes- 
|X. chirus.| X. mucosus, 1.|X. mucosus, 2. tris, 1. tris, 2. 
| 
Motalilencth, inches)-se+-c.-oscs lee eck 4. 08 10. 90 6.70 7. 08 6. 25 
Paper to base of caudal = 100.......- 3. 90 10. 40 6. 40 6.75 6.10 
ody : 
Grenteshidepthessss-eeeeseeeeeeeee 10 12.9 13 1) llogsscoogéenc 
Mbeastidepth vases ser ce te were sen ee secsencees BES. Wosedschasscel Sash eueeunes 
Head: 
Greatest lengthy --.--2s-eesceeece 14 13.7 14 15. 4 15 
Distance from snout to nape.......|.....----- 8.4 Bhi lESdoeeccoda 10 
Interorbitalareaaasseacoseee ret toe eee nee 2 =| |ossetcac caine WME) Hlesosessceons 
Mens thronmaxillanye ese sass aeeeee| see aes 5.7. 5 OB) il Seaocecoee 
Miameteriol OLDLisee seen eee 2.5 Awe seee cee case Dime ||\<ele(eretercs tet 
Dorsal: 
Distance from snout........-- TeSAA 155 16 15 21 21.5 
ISLS Ulin oeteS Sodan see Maca Saonoo Ieee loseSa- Soe: Bb“ eeyseee ake onto Oy Wye Geeeeeneccc 
Anal, distance from snout ...-.......-- , 43 51.5 51.5 44.5 43 
@audal denctins =: 0.22. saeee eee ce bet ah BT RH ae cece cb char | Garearete tele asta nc aim oe arte 
Pectoral lencthoas... ose eee e eee 3 Tipe lace ets aes a SDM ||see sales 
‘Pectoral; swidths 220s <. eee  ee Di. Al cce coite eA eee ee ero crete 1 a ees See 5 
MMOTSall TAS =< ste onon cnc one eee Tu Mi) bee sicmeen cee Gi" MWisesousesse v6 
Anal rays ...-.. Be Ae ARO ee 50 AQ tl Noeaecetecitane ON WeasSncedcs.< 
t 5 
