37 



informed me that about three years ago he placed several (I believe 

 about forty) individuals of a Mugil from the Sandwich Islands, in 

 the Sacramento River, and it is, therefore, possible that the speci- 

 mens obtained may be some of these, or their young. I suspect this 

 because the shad introduced from the East finds its way, in consider- 

 able numbers, to Monterey Bay, instead of dutifully returning to the 

 place of its birth, and this Mugil may have acted in a similar way; 

 also because the specimens agree tolerably w^ell with the diagnosis of 

 Mugil cephalotus, given by Giinther. The inter-mandibular spaces 

 agrees pretty well with Giinther's figure of that of Mugil cejjlialotus, hut 

 it is still nearer to Steindachner's figure of Mugil mexicanus. As this is 

 a mullet, it is of course tolerably good eating, but it must be remem- 

 bered that it is not nearly related "to those famous delicate fishes, the 

 red mullet and the surmullet, which were so highly prized by the 

 Romans that they fed them in aquaria, but to the gray mullet. The 

 first mentioned fishes belong to the Mullidee, and are provided with 

 a barbel ; the latter and our'Californian fish to the Mugilid-x, which 

 has no barbel and no teeth worth speaking of. From October to the 

 end of May I have only seen a single specimen, which occurred near 

 the end of April. 



The Mugilidse, of which this species is the only representative on 

 this coast, are very near to the Atherinidx, forming with that family 

 Gill's suborder Percesoces, or perch-pikes. There are two perfectly 

 distinct dorsals, the first of four weak spines; the ventrals are 

 abdominal ; the head is broad ; the teeth are extremely feeble, or 

 wanting, and there is no silvery longitudinal band. 



SUBORDER ANACANTHINI. 



In this suborder all the fin rays are soft and articulated ; the scales are cycloid ; the ventrals 

 jugular, that is, in advance of the pectorals; and the dorsal and anal fins very long, often 

 divided into two or three portions. The suborder includes several families, the most important 

 of which, to the human species, is the Gadidce, to which the cod, haddock, hake, whiting, and 

 other well-known Atlantic fishes belong. 



Other families, members of which are found on this coast, and occasionally brought to the 

 markets of this city, are the Brotulida:, Ophidiida;, and Li/codida;, each of which furnishes a 

 single species. 



The Ophidioid of our markets is Ophidium taylori, Girard, a small fish attaining a length of 

 about ten inclies, and inhabiting the sandy beaches at various points along the coast. It is eel- 

 like in form, with continuous vertical fins, a pair of long bifid filaments (representing ventrals) 

 attached to the base of the tongue between the two rami of the lower jaw; and small teeth on 

 jaws, vomer, and palatines. 



The Lycodoid, Leuri/imis paucidcjifs, Lockington, is still more elongated, but has a much larger 

 mouth and narrower gill openings. Teeth are present upon the jaws only, the ventrals are 

 very small, and the vertical fins continuous. 



Both these fishes are excellent as articles of food, and have the additional advantage of the 

 almost entire absence of small bones, but they are not brought to market in sufficient abundance 

 to be of much value. 



The Brotuloid is BrosmophyrAsmarginatus, Ayres, Gill, a very rare fish, as only two or three 

 specimens occur in the course of a season, but larger than either of the preceding. It may at 

 once be recognized by the continuous margin of red formed by the conjoined dorsal, anal, and 

 caudal fins. Eed-fin would be a good English name for it. It attains a length of more than 

 twelve inches, and is less slender than the two preceding species. Of its gastronomical quali- 

 ties, I cannot speak. 



The Gadidre are represented at this jjoint by the two following species only, as the true cod 

 does not occur so far to the southward. 



Merlucius productus, Ayres, Gill, Californian Whiting — Of this 

 species I have as yet seen only a few exceeding fourteen or eighteen 

 inches in length. Dr. Ayres, its first describer, speaks of it as by ]io 

 means common, but mentions " a few specimens, all taken at the 



