394 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
The rich results which invariably followed the use of the trawl at | 
depths of 1,000 fathoms and over indicate the direction which future 
explorations of the Albatross should take in the Pacific. The shallower ; 
waters and moderate depths of the continental platform have been fairly, | 
if not exhaustively, explored; but the slope between the 1,000-fathom 
line and oceanic depths is practically unknown. Asalready stated, itis 
especially to be regretted that so little work could be done in the deeper - 
waters of Bering Sea during the summer of 1890. 
The most characteristic feature of the fish fauna of California is the. 
extreme abundance and variety of three groups of fishes—the “rock-— 
fishes” (Sebastodes), the flounders (including numerous characteristic 
genera and species), and the viviparous surf-fishes (Hmbiotocide). All 
these are greatly reduced in numbers to the northward, and the fauna of 
Bering Sea assumes in consequence a very different appearance. The 
“surf-fishes” wholly disappear beforereaching the Aleutian Islands; but 
two or three species of rockfish are sparingly present, and the flounders- 
are diminished in numbers and represented by forms such as Hippoglos- 
sus, Atheresthes, Plewronectes, and Limanda, more nearly allied to those 
of the North Atlantic than are the predominating species of California, 
To replace these lacking forms, we have at the north large additions 
to the families Cottide, Agonide, Liparidida, and Blenntide, those added 
being again close affines of North Atlantic species, with which many of 
them have, indeed, been considered identical. One of the most inter- 
esting results of the present investigation has been the discovery that 
several of these are distinguishable from their North Atlantic repre- 
sentatives by small but constant characters. Should these distinctions 
be verified, it will indicate that the icy seas of the Arctic have long been 
a barrier to the passage of these species. Of the marine fishes collected 
the following only are now considered by us common to the two oceans: 
| Pholis fasciatus. 
Sticheus punctatus. 
Leptoclinus maculatus. 
Mallotus villosus. 
Pygosteus pungitius. 
Icelus bicornis. 
| Leptoblennius nubilus. 
Gymunelis viridis. 
Hippoglossus hippoglossus. 
A reduction in this list may be expected when adequate series from 
both oceans can be brought together for comparison. 
The following species are here described as new: 
Raja abyssicola. Elanura forficata. Liparis cyclostigma. 
Raja aleutica. 
Bathylagus borealis. 
Sebastolobus altivelis. 
Icelus vicinalis. 
Teelus canaliculatus. 
Icelus spiniger. 
Icelinus borealis. 
Artediellus pacifieus. 
Cottus aleuticus. 
Acanthocottus sellaris. 
Acanthocottus laticeps. 
Acanthocottus  profun- 
dorum. 
Triglops beani. 
Triglops scepticus. 
Triglops xenostethus. 
ELANURA, new genus. 
Oligocottus acuticeps. 
Paricelinus thoburni. 
Aspidophoroides bartoni. 
Odontopyxis leptorhynechus. 
Odontopyxis frenatus. 
Xenochirus alascanus. 
Paraliparis holomelas. 
Paraliparis ulochir. 
Careproctus ectenes. 
Careproctus colletti. 
Careproctus phasma. 
Careproctus ostentum. 
Careproctus simus. 
GYRINICHTHYS, n. gen. 
Gyrinichthys minytremus. 
RHINOLIPARIS, new genus 
| Rhinoliparis barbulifer. 
Liparis fucensis. 
BATHYPHASMA, new genus. 
Bathyphasma ovigerum. 
L®ETHOTREMUS, new genus. 
Lethotremnus muticus. 
Leptoblennius mackayi. 
LYCONECTES, new genus. 
Lyconectes aleutensis. 
Lycodes palearis. 
Lycodapus extensus. 
Lycodapus parviceps. 
DEREPODICHTHYS, n. gen. 
Derepodichthys alepidotus. 
Nematonurus cyclolepis 
| Chalinura filifera. 
' Limanda proboscidea. 
