92 



U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 



rim of the orbit. The mouth is oblique, and the lower jaw protruding beyond the upper. 

 The greatest depth of the body, taken under the second dorsal spine, is equal to the length of 

 the head. The peduncle of the tail is very narrow. The dorsal spines are well developed, 

 acerated, and quite inconspicuously serrated upon their edges. The anterior one is inserted 

 opposite the upper edge of the base of the pectorals ; it is smaller than the second, and, when 

 bent horizontally backwards, its extremity is made to extend beyond the base of the latter, which, 

 in its turn, barely reaches the insertion of the third, when in a similar position. The second 

 dorsal is composed of ten deeply bifurcated rays ; the origin of that fin is situated posteriorly to 

 the tips of the ossa innominata. The caudal, which enters seven times and a half in the total 

 length, is emarginated posteriorly, and composed, as usual, of ten bifurcated, two simple rays, 

 and several rudiments. The anal spine is of the same size as the third dorsal ; it is followed by 

 six or seven articulated or soft rays, the posterior extremities of which falling evenly with those 

 of the opposite fin, the central ones being slightly bifurcated. The ventral spine is the largest 

 of all, acerated, serrated upon its upper edge, and its extremity projecting considerably beyond 

 the tips of the ossa innominata, reaching a vertical line dropped from the origin of the soft 

 dorsal fin. The insertion of the ventrals is situated in advance of the second dorsal spine. 

 The pectorals are exteriorly rounded or sub-truncated, and composed of ten undivided rays. 



D I, I, I, 9 ; A I, 6 ; C 3, 1, 5, 5, 1, 2 ; V I, 1 ; P 10. 



There are seven plates upon the thoracic region ; the three anterior are very small, and situated 

 above the suprascapular ; the two next are the most developed, extending under the cubital 

 process, whilst the remaining two are somewhat shorter, and placed posteriorly to that same 

 process. The surface of the plates themselves is minutely granular. 



The ground color is yellowish brown, spotted or else transversally banded with greyish black, 

 the spots or bands being the result of crowded dots. The dorsal region is darker than the sides, 

 and so also the upper portion of the head. Beneath, dull yellow, occasionally dotted. 



Specimens, the largest of which measures one inch and three quarters, were taken in Ka-wee- 

 ya river, sometimes known as the Four creeks, and is a tributary of the northernmost of the 

 Tulare lakes. 



List of specimens, 



6. GASTEBOSTEUS PUGETTI, Grd. 



SPEC. CHAH. Body partly plated ; peduncle of tail not keeled. Dorsal spines three, slender, not serrated upon their edges ; 

 anterior inserted immediately behind the base of pectorals. Insertion of ventrals in advance of the second dorsal spine, their 

 own spine being slender, serrated upon its edges, and extending beyond the tips of the ossa innominate. Posterior margin of 

 caudal slightly emarginated. 



Six.Gasterosteuspiigetti, GRD. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VIII, 1856, 135. 



The species here introduced is, so far, the smallest of all the species observed in California and 



