76 



panichthys lateralis. But inasmuch as it appears 

 of quite distinct generic form from the species which 

 is the type of his genus Scorpanichthys {S.marmo- 

 ratus, very common in our markets), and since the 

 second of my species has not been published at all, 

 it is judged best in this communication to attempt a 

 correct exposition of the two. 



They are manifestly very closely allied to Hemil- 

 epidotus, with which genus one of them might in 

 fact be classed without any great violence, though 

 to include both, the generic characters as given by 

 Cuvier must be much modiiied. With Scorpcenich- 

 thys their affinity si ems less intimate, and a generic 

 identity not admissible. In Mr. Girard's description 

 of that genus, as published in the proceedings of the 

 Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., (vol.7,p 131,) the characters 

 given, "Skin smooth, without either scales or plates" 

 though in a copy of his paper sent to the Cal. Acade- 

 my a manuscript alteration has been made, so as to 

 read " Skin either smooth, or provided with scales/' 

 But even allowing this, we find the jaws not equal, 

 the gill-openings continuous in one and not in the 

 other, the dorsals distinct in the one and much less 

 so in the other, and the spinous dorsal lower than 

 the soft in both. 



The character, however, which appears of greatest 

 value, is derived from the scales. These are very 

 peculiar, having an hour-glass form, doubly concave, 

 with a depth (corresponding to the thickness of or- 

 dinary scales) nearly equal to their transverse di- 

 ameter. The external concavity is free, looking up- 

 ward and backward, its border being strongly cilia- 

 ted. They are of the same structure in both species, 

 and their remarkable formation argues strongly in 

 favor of generic identity. We have no means of 

 knowing the character of the " scales" in the Kam- 

 schatkan species on which Cuvier founded his genus 

 Hemilepidotus, but it is perhaps scarcely possible 

 that an observer so accurate as the distinguished 

 French naturalist should have overlooked a struc- 

 ture so singular. Should it however be shown that 

 in H. tilesii we have the same feature, it would then 

 be necessary to modify the characters of Hemilepi- 

 dotus so far as to include our Californian types. 



Until this can be done we may place them as the 

 representatives of a new generic group, with the fol- 

 lowing definition. 



CALYCILEFinOTrS . 



Head ivith bony plates ; somewhat spinous, espe- 

 cially on the gill-covers. Teeth fine and crowded, 

 in the jaws andon the vomer, palatines, and pharyn- 

 geals. Spinous and soft dorsal more or less com- 

 pletely separated. Breadth of the head greater than 

 its height. Sides of the body, and sometimes the 

 head, with patches of doubly concave, ciliate scales, 

 alternating with spaces of smooth skin. Loose mem- 

 branous flaps on various parts of the head. 



Of this genus we know at present two species. 



1. Caltctlefidotcs spinosus. — Ayres. 



Head large ; body tapering, rounded anteriorly, 

 becoming compressed posteriorly. Length of the 

 head a little less than one-third of the entire length, 

 being equal to twice the depth of the head. 



Eyes large, nearly circular, their diameter con- 

 tained about four times in the length of the side of 

 the head ; the distance between them less than half 

 their own diameter ; orbits elevated, leaving a deep 

 depression in the interocular space. 



Nasal spines strong and prominent. Various ele- 

 vations, scarcely to be called spines, on the top of 

 tfce head buck of the orbits. On the border of the 

 preoperculum commonly three strong spines directed 

 backward (the upper two being each about equal in 

 length to the interocular breadth) and one at the in- 



ferior angle looking downward and forward. A con- 

 cealed spine at the superior and the inferior aagle of 

 the opercu'um. A humeral and a scapular spine 

 may also be traced, though not well marked. 



A membranous flap, with a height as great as that 

 of the nasal spines, on the superior posterior border 

 of the orbit ; another on the preoperculum ; anoth- 

 er, not so large, at the tip of the superior maxillary ; 

 a pair also at the symphysis of the lower jaw. In 

 addition to these, many of the tubes forming the lat- 

 eral line, as well as others on the head, are prolonged 

 by a free membranous extremity. 



Scales arranged in three longitudinal bands on 

 each side. T\w first runs nearly parallel with the 

 base of the dorsal fin, being separated from it by a 

 stripe of smooth skin. It is connected with its fel- 

 low of the opposite side by a broad band in front of 

 the dorsal fin ; and has a breadth of five or six rows 

 of scales anteriorly, becoming narrower posteriorly. 

 The second is very narrow, and indicates the course 

 of the lateral line, which it follows in its entire 

 length. It curves at first gently downward, and 

 then runs nearly straight. Anteriorly it has but a 

 single row of scales, in the middle it has two or per- 

 haps three, and posteriorly again becomes narrower. 

 The space of smooth skin between it and the first 

 band is broadest at about the middle of the body, 

 where it equals in width the upper band. The third 

 is separated from the second by a very narrow stripe 

 indeed. Its greatest breadth, near the middle of the 

 length, is about equal to that of the first band. All 

 of the bands extend to the caudal fin ; the head is 

 entirely destitute of scales. 



Lower jaws shorter than the upper ; gape of the 

 mouth of such extent that a line vertical to the an- 

 gle of the maxillary passes near the posterior border 

 of the pupil. 



Gill openings not continuous. 



Dorsal fin single, a depression separating the spi- 

 nous from the soft portion, but not so as to form two 

 fins. The spinous portion, arising a short distance 

 from the back of the head, is in length about equal 

 to the distance from the tip of the snout to the bor- 

 der of the preoperculum, being about two thirds of 

 tha length of the soft portion. It is highest at the 

 fourth and fifth spines, the height thence diminishing 

 so that the last ray only about half equals the high- 

 est. The soft rays rise at once to a height rather 

 than that of any of the spinous rays. The soft por- 

 tion of the fin extends almost to the base of the cau- 

 dal, increasing somewhat in height as it advances, 

 and again decreasing ; its height is thus about half 

 greater than that of the spinous part, being a little 

 less than one-seventh of the length of the fish. 



The anal, very similar to the soft dorsal in form 

 and height, is shorter, arising opposite its fourth or 

 fifth ray. and terminating as many rays in advance 

 of the other. 



The pectorals, of cottoid form, with the lower raya 

 free at their tips, have a height nearly equalling 

 one-fourth the length of the fish ; their length is 

 about half their height. 



The ventrals are opposite the middle of the base 

 of the pectorals, which they nearly equal in height. 



The caudal is slightly rounded, its height equalling 

 that of the ventrals. 



D. 11-1!) ; A. 16; P. 17; V.l-4; C. 4.1 3 4.1.4. 



In color this species is commonly of a dark red- 

 dish brown, with darker irregular bands and blotch- 

 68, the bands assuming something more of regularity 

 on the soft dorsal, pectoral, and caudal fins. 



C. spinosus occurs in the Bay of San Francisco, 

 hut it is not common. Specinions are occasionally 

 brought in by the fishi men with the other sculpina. 

 They seldom exceed seven inches in length. 





