N0.1414. FISHES FROM PUG ET HOUND— GILBERT AND THOMPSON 981 



others. The anal is obscurely marked with oblique nari-ow cross-bars. 

 The basal dark bar of the caudal is continued backwards on the upper 

 and the lower rays, and serves partly to inclose the broad white bar 

 which follows. The distal half of the tin is marked with one or two 

 dark bars, and has a narrow white margin. 



Numerous specimens have l)een examined. The species is evidently 

 abundant in Puget Sound, where it is easily dredged in shallow water. 

 The species is named for Prof. Trevor Kincaid. who is so energ-etically 

 increasing our knowledge of the zoology of Puget Sound. 



GILBERTIDIA SIGOLUTES Jordan and Starks). 



A second specimen of this interesting species, 68 mm. long, was 

 dredged by Professor Kincaid in East Sound, in August, 1904. We 

 have compared it directly with the diminutive type of the species 

 without discovering important diti'erences. The mouth seems less 

 oblique and the mandible less prominent, but this may be due to a 

 slight distortion in the type. We have examined it in connection also 

 with specimens of l^syeJiroIntes jmmdo^rus^ with a view to determining 

 the value of the characters alleged to separate (jHhtrtitHa and 7%- 

 cliroliitcs. The distinctive charactei's of G!J])ert!dia " are said to be: 

 (1) the very long continuous dorsal and anal tins; (2) the condition of 

 the anterior rays of the dorsal, which are not concealed beneath the 

 integument of the l)ack; (3) the form of the mouth. J^syrhrohites was 

 originally described as having no spinous dorsal, but Jordan and Ever- 

 mann say that the spinous dorsal consists of '\short, slender, llexil)le 

 spines, entirely embedded in the skin and not visible without dissec- 

 tion, as tl)e spines do not rise above the level of the muscles." Again 

 they say: "" Dorsals united, with a slight notch between, the first buried 

 in a ridge of skin so that its delicate spines can not be counted from 

 without.'' Reexamination of Pi<ycli rol nti^s has shown that the above 

 statements do not adequately represent the facts. There is usually no 

 external trace of the spinous dorsal, the thick skin passing smoothly 

 over the middorsal line without fold or attachment. On removing 

 the integument, the spinous dorsal is found to consist of well -developed 

 slender spines, lying loosely in the subcutaneous tissue, and joined 

 together by membrane in the usual manner. They are moval)ly artic- 

 ulated at the base, and are not at all embedded in the muscular tissue. 

 They slightly increase in length posteriorly, and join the soft dorsal 

 without notch. The spines are 10 to 12 in number, the soft rays 12 

 to 14; the lirst spine is inserted over the opercular flap. 



It is evident therefore that in length and shape the dorsal fin in 

 PsycJirohites does not differ from that in GilheiiUita^ the only diti'er- 



« Gilhertina (preoccupied) Jordan and Starks, Proc. Cal. Acad. 8ci., (2), V, 1S95, 

 pp. 811, 812. Jordan and Evermann, Fishes of North and Middle Amerii-a, Pt. 2, 

 p. 2027. 



