THE FISHES OF ALASKA. 



319 



from the eye smooth; a patch of minute tubercles along each side of suborbital stay; warts on opercle 

 above opercular ridge minute and collected into patches; below this ridge they are round and flat, 

 collected somewhat into chainlike bands, small patches of minute tubercles extending backward and 

 away from each segment of the lateral line, giving it a somewhat feathery appearance; a line of these 

 small projections terminates the lateral line at the base of the caudal fin; lateral line chainlike, of about 

 47 jointlike segments. 



Color in alcohol dark brown above, much mottled with irregular, small, thickly set white blotches, 

 this color extending up somewhat on the base of the fin memlsranes; lower half of side paler, consisting of 

 a white ground clouded over with minute brown punctulations; ventral surface, including chin and 

 breast, white; upper lip, maxillary, and membranes of upper jaw slaty blue; dorsal fins irregularly 

 blotched with patches of white and dark brown, the margin of each fin, particularly the soft dorsal, 

 inclined to be wholly white; caudal membranes light at base, the rays dark, this dark color broadening 

 outwardly, making a dark brown band parallel with the edge of the fin, its distal border slightly wavy, 

 its proximal border deeply incised by sharp patches of white projecting out between the rays, the outer 

 margin of the fin wholly white; anal white with 3 dark vertical bars aljout half as wide as eye, these 

 about equal distances apart, the projecting tips of the rays always white; ventrals pale, mostlj' cloudy, 

 crossed with indistinct bars of lighter; pectorals dark brown, a few round small spots of white arranged 

 roughly in the form of bars; a narrow mai'gin of the fin wholly white, the upper edge of the fin showing 

 Ijrown regularly crossed by small white dots. 



Specimen described a female containing a few small eggs. 



This fish has a close general resemblance to Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus. The presence of a 

 fourth preopercular spine, however, removes it from that genus. The character of the gill slit resembles 

 that of ilijo.rocephahis, but the foiuth preopercular spine and other minor characters place it better with 

 Oncocottiis. Our specimen possesses many characters common to both genera, however, and it may be 

 found that characters which have been considered generic in small individuals disappear in larger 

 ones. The gill slit, for instance, is present on one side and absent on the other in this specimen. 



Fig. 79.— Gymnocanthus pistilligpr (Pallas) 



149. Gynmocanthus pistilliger (Pallas). 



We have in the collection a specimen 5 inches long, collected at Tareinski Harbor, Kamchatka, June 

 21, 1900. This species has also been recorded by Bean (1882) from Kyska Harbor and Point Belcher. 

 Gilbert (1895), Bristol Bay at stations 3230 to 3233, 3237 to 3246, 3289, 3291, 3296, and 3300. Scofield 

 (1899), Port Clarence. 



150. Grymnocanthus galeatus Bean. 



Head 3 in length; depth C; eye 3.6 in head; dorsal xi-16; anal 18; pectoral 19; maxillary 2.4; 

 interorbital 3.1. 



The collection contains 25 specimens 1.5 to 11.5 inches long from the following places: Atka Island, 

 1894; stations 3-598, in Bering Sea, and 3653, off Shana. Iturup Island; Akutan Bay; station 4253, 

 Stephens Passage, and with hook and line in Shakan Bay. The specimen (no. 2913) from station 4253 

 is a female with very small eggs. 



