292 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
the base moderate, nearly equal to the diameter of the eye. Ventrals 
not reaching tips of pectorals. 
D. XIII, 14; A. II, 7. Scales in about 48 transverse series. 
Color very pale rose-red, almost white, with cross-bars of a deep, 
intense crimson-red, these bands broadest on the back. One of the 
bands runs across the eye, snout, suborbital, and maxillary, with in- 
distinct boundaries; the next across the nuchal region and front of 
dorsal and opercle; the next across the middle of the spinous dorsal, 
including the ventrals and the posterior half of the pectorals; another 
across the soft dorsal and anal; another across the base of the caudal, 
the fin itself being deep rose color. The other fins share the color of 
that part of the body against which they lie. 
This species is known from two examples, each about one foot long, 
taken on a reef in Santa Barbara Channel, by J. Weinmiller, February 
14, 1880. 
Afterwards about eight others, larger than the original types, were 
taken in deep water near Monterey. It is known to the fishermen as 
the “Spanish Flag,” and is the most brilliantly colored large fish on the 
Pacific coast. 
Its relations to the other red species are not intimate. 
SEBASTICHTHYS VEXILLARIS sp. nov. 
Body stout and compressed; the back elevated; the form rather 
deeper and more elliptical than in the other red species. Head mod- 
erate; the profile moderately acute. Mouth rather large, moderately 
oblique, the broad maxillary usually extending to a point somewhat 
behind the orbit. Premaxillary anteriorly on the level of the lower 
edge of the pupil. Jaws subequal, the lower somewhat projecting, but 
without symphyseal knob; the upper jaw not emarginate. 
Ridges on top of head long and low, rather broader and lower than 
in the other red species; their spines rather depressed. The following 
pairs of spines are present, four or five in all: Nasal, preocular, supra- 
ocular, occipital, and sometimes tympanic. The nasal spines are promi- 
nent; the preocular spines are quite conspicuous and extend weli back- 
ward; the supraocular ridge is depressed and broad, its spine triangu- 
lar; the occipital spines are rather long and diverge backward. In 
some specimens a tympanic spine is present, which is wanting in the 
others. The interorbital space is broad and flattish, broader than in 
related species, about equal to the diameter of the orbit. It is occupied 
by two raised ridges, which are covered by the scales. In large speci- 
mens these ridges are quite obscure. 
Preopercular spines moderate; some of them usually divided into 
two, three, or four at tip, the middle one the largest. The degree of 
division of these spines is quite variable, but at least the middle spine 
is usually divided. 
Posterior border of the interopercle with a strong sping, above which 
