ol 



pounds. In color it is slaty-gray, becoming more silvery on the 

 sides and silverj'^-white below, without any conspicuous marks or 

 bands. The second ray of the soft dorsal is twice the hight of the 

 last and highest spine of the spinous portion of the same fin. 



BJtacochilus toxotes, Agassiz, Thick-lipped Percli — This is the 

 finest and largest of the tribe, attaining a length of sixteen or 

 eighteen inches, and a weight of from five to six pounds. It can be 

 at once identified by the great thickness and prominence of its lips, 

 especially the lower lip, which forms a broad, continuous fold around 

 the lower jaw. The greatest width is about a third of the total 

 length. The caudal peduncle is long and the spinous portion of the 

 dorsal fin much lower than the soft portion. The teeth are few, and 

 in a single row. The coloration of the fresh fish is not conspicuous, 

 as it is chiefly a bright silvery-gray, becoming darker and metallic 

 on the back, with a reddish tinge posteriorly, and dark and dull on 

 the top of the head. From April to September this species has been 

 of tolerably common occurrence in the markets, though by no means 

 so abundant as lateralis, caryi or Hyperprosopon argenteus. It is 

 usually sold at a higher price than the other perch. Those brought 

 to market in the months named are caught in Tomales Bay. 



Micrometrus aggregatus, Agassiz; Cymatogaster aggregatus, Gib- 

 bons, Large Shiner — This is one of the kinds ordinarily found in 

 San Francisco Bay, brought to market, though not in abundance, 

 throughout the year, and frequently taken by anglers. It does not 

 attain the dimensions of the Embiotoca jacksoni, Embiotoca lateralis, or 

 Rhacochilus toxotes. The scales of this species are comparatively large, 

 the lateral line containing only from forty to forty-four. The longest 

 spines are longer than the rays of the soft dorsal, and the sides have 

 eight or nine longitudinal bands, formed of black dots. The young 

 have three or four vertical bands. 



A still smaller species is the Micrometrus minimus of Gibbons, 

 Abeona trowbridgii of Girard, and Shiner of the small boys, who usu- 

 ally contemptuously fling it back into the bay whenever they take it. 

 Its presence in the market is only accidental, among the heaps of 

 small flat-fishes or smelts. 



Hyperprosopon argenteus, Gibbons, Large-eyed Perch — The large 

 eye; the upward turned mouth; the lower jaw extending to, or even 

 beyond, the horizontal from the upper margin of the pupil ; the 

 broad short body, the shape of the spinous dorsal, the fourth spine 

 of which is the longest, and longer than the soft dorsal; the silvery 

 color, and the black-tipped ventrals, render this easily' recognizable 

 from all the other Embiotocidse except the rarer Hyperprosopion agassi- 

 zii, Hyperproso]pon arcuatus, and Hypercriticlithys analis. The first of 

 these is known by the absence of the black tips to the ventrals, and 

 the presence of a black margin to the caudal ; the second by the greater 

 curve of the back, less depressed forehead, smaller eyes, and shorter 

 lower jaw; and the third by the considerably smaller eye, more elon- 

 gate body, shorter dorsal and anal, and the presence of a black spot 

 in the middle of the caudal. The large-eyed perch is common in San 

 Francisco Bay, and during the months of April and May is brought 

 in large quantities from Tomales Bay. It is smaller than most of the 

 preceding species, the length seldom exceeding nine or ten inches, 

 and the weight about half a pound. 



In this genus the teeth form a single row extending all around the 

 lower jaw, and about half way along the upper, thus differing from 



