20 



CAI-IKOHNIA KISII AND (i\:MK. 



This fish has nut l)et'ii reported north of Santa l>arl)ara. Its range 

 extends sonthward alonge the coast of Lower Califoi-nia. It reaches a 

 leiigth of about 1.1 inches, and is a faii-ly goo(] food fisti. 



The Kingfish (Genyonemus lineatus). 



The eliaractei's of the first sentenee separate this fish fi-oni its rela- 

 tives. Tiie blunt snout projecting over the tip of the lower jaw; no 

 barbel at the chin; no enlarged spine at the front of the anal. The 

 mouth is rather oblique. The lower jaw closes within the upper, and 

 tlie maxillary reaches to under the middle of the eye or a trifle fartlier. 

 The edge of the preoperculum is meinbranous and without fine bony 

 points. On each side of the lower jaw just ])ehind the chin are sevei'al 

 very small l)ar])els, so small that they scarcely show without the aid of 

 a magnifier. The spines of the dorsal are slendei-. The pectoral ends 

 opposite to the very slender points of the ventrals, or reaches a little 

 ]>ast. The caudal fin is slightly concave behind. Brassy reflections 



Pile kingfish (Gcnyonciiiiix liiicntiis) . 



overlie the bright silvery color. Very faint wavy lines follow the rows 

 of scales upwards and backwards. The fins are usually yellowish, and 

 there is a snudl dark s])ot just behind the base of the upper pectoi-al 

 rays. 



This fish and the white sea bass are the only ones of this family that 

 are found in any abundance as far north as San Francisco. It runs 

 southward along the Lower California coast. It is commoner in sum- 

 mer than in winter, and more abundant on the southern coast than the 

 northern. It scarcely exceeds a foot in length, but its abundance makes 

 it a food fish of considerable impoi'tance. When fresh it is a very good 

 food fish, Imt its flesh is i-ather soft and it does not keej) very well. It 

 is sometimes called tomcod in southern California. This name should 

 not be used, for it in no way. shape, nor mannei- reseml)les the tomcod. 



NOTE ON THE SAND DAB AND CALIFORNIA BONITO. 



By EDWIN C. STARKS. 



Through an oversight in the paper on flat-fishes that appeared in the 

 last number of California Fish and Game the old name of soft flounder 

 was used as a common name of the fish that has in recent years been 

 known as the sand dal) (('llhnricliiJn/.'^ siofflidiis) . This name, sand dal). 



