eee PROCEEDINGS OF TITE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 155 
EMBIOTOCID. 
The members of this family are probably all permanent residents. 
From their abundance they are important fishes. Those taken outside 
are, as a rule, of much better flavor than those taken in the bay. Some 
of the species habitually live in the surf of the ocean beaches, while 
others habitually live in the bay. 
Since their discovery these fishes have been of great interest on 
account of their most pronounced viviparity. Several papers have dealt 
especially with the embryology, but no one has hitherto been able to 
study the early stages. 
The early stages of all of them oceur in December or thereabout. 
The older individuals are with ripe eggs earlier in the season than the 
younger, so that in species like Amphistichus argenteus where there are 
three distinct sizes of individuals, there are three distinet periods when 
the eggs mature, with an interval of about a month between two of 
these periods. 
The embryology of the members of this family will be treated in a 
separate paper. 
Owing to the fact that these fishes are permanent residents, few notes 
on their occurrence were made, Some are always found in the market, 
and many are thrown away when caught. 
Abeona minima (Gibbons.) 
J. & G., 80, 28; R. Smith, ’80; J. & G., ’80a, 456; id., ’81, 51; id., 82, 587; R. 
Smith, 785, June. 
This species is very abundant in the eel grass near tide marks in the 
bay. The females are much larger than the males but none reach a 
size to warrant bringing them to the market. 
The eggs of this species can be procured in December, January, and 
February. With those of cymatogaster they are the smallest fish eggs 
known, the yolk being scarcely developed. 
Brachyistius frenatus Gill. 
R. Smith, ’85, June. 
Very rare, only a single specimen seen (May 29, 1890). 
Cymatogaster aggregatus Gibbons. Shiner. 
J. & G., 780, 28; R. Smith, 780; J. & G., ’80a, 456; id., 81,51; id., 782, 590; R. 
Smith, ’85, June; Eigenmann, Am. Nat. Mch. 89, 107; E. & E., West Am. 
Scientist, June, 1889. 
This is even more abundant than Abeona minima. It is found with it, 
but also along the beaches of the bay and about the piles of wharves, 
especially during the breeding season. It is rarely brought into the 
market, and then only when mixed with other species. 
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