The Rockfishes 



more important species will be mentioned here. Sebastodes pan- 

 cispinis, the bocaccio, large and swift, is abundant in California. 

 Sebastodes flamdus, the yellowtail rockfish, reaching a length of 

 2 feet, is one of the most valuable species. It is abundant frorr 

 San Francisco to San Diego. 



5. mystinus, the black rockfish, is the most abundant species 



in rather shallow water about San Francisco. Another abundant 

 species is the orange rockfish, 5. pinniger, found from Puget 

 Sound to San Diego. It reaches 2 feet in length and is a com- 

 mon market-fish; and the rasher, 5. ininialus, is another 

 important species reaching a length of 2 feet and abun- 

 dant from San Francisco to San Diego. The red rockfish, 

 5. ruberrimus, is the largest species of all, reaching a length of 

 2^ feet. It is abundant from San Diego to Puget Sound, and is 

 a valued food-fish. Another important species is the yellow-backed 

 rockfish, 5. maliger, which is found from Monterey to Sitka. I* 

 is especially abundant northward, and reaches nearly 2 feet in 

 length. The Spanish flag, Sebastodes nibrovinctus, banded red and 

 white, is perhaps the handsomest sea-fish in our waters. Full 

 descriptions of all the species of this genus, 50 in number, may be 

 found in our "Fishes of North and Middle America." 



497 



