37 



is occasionally sent to San Francisco in considerable abundance in 

 spring. It is not a large species. 



S. rosaceus — Corsair. This is the smallest of the group, rarely- 

 exceeding one and a half pounds. It occurs among reefs in deep 

 water, and where found is the most abundant of the red species. In 

 San Francisco market it is abundant throughout the year. 



S. constellatus — Bagre. This is another deep water southern species, 

 taken with hook and line only. It is rather abundant, and of fre- 

 quent occurrence in our markets. Together with the preceding 

 small red species, it spawns at Monterey early in the spring. It 

 reaches from two to three pounds. 



S. rubrivinctus is appropriately styled the Spanish Flag by the 

 Portuguese fishermen of Santa Barbara, on account of its gay red 

 and yellow transverse bands. It occurs on reefs in very deep water, 

 and is occasionally taken with hook and line in spring. It reaches 

 a weight of six pounds. 



S. ruber — Large Red Rockfish,Tambor, is probably the largest of all 

 the species, reaching a weight of twelve pounds, or even more. It is 

 graded upon the stalls with pinniger and miniatus, from which the 

 dealers do not distinguish it. Its range extends to Puget's Sound, 

 and its habitat is deep water, so that it is taken with hook and line. 

 Professor Jordan, from whom all our additional knowledge of this 

 group is derived, mentions that about Victoria the skulls of large 

 specimens are infested with an encysted parasitic worm. 



S. miniatus, Rasher, Rascira — Another deep water species, taken 

 with hook and line, and also with gill nets, and occasionally sent 

 to the city markets in considerable numbers. It is scarcely as large 

 as S. ruber, but reaches eight or ten pounds, and is equally esteemed. 



kS. pinniger, Smooth Red Rock Fish,Hiaume. This is a deep water 

 species, abundant everywhere from Monterey northward, and taken 

 in great numbers, usually with set lines It is probably the most 

 abundant of all the red species in the San Francisco markets, and 

 in size is inferior only to aS*. ruber, since it reaches a weight of from 

 eight to ten pounds. It is esteemed as food, except when very large, 

 when its flesh is rather coarse. Many are split and salted in the deep 

 waters of Puget Sound. 



aS*. atrovirens, Garrupa — Dark Greenish Rock Fish, abundant in 

 rocky places in rather shallow water, and taken in great numbers in 

 gill nets, south of Point Conception. Many are taken during Winter 

 at the Santa Barbara Islands, and considerable numbers are salted 

 and dried by the Chinamen. It reaches three pounds. 



S. elongatus, Reina — Abundant with S. proriger in very deep 

 water. Weighs about two pounds, and is not common in markets 

 except in spring. 



S. proriger rarely exceeds one and a half pounds in weight. Not 

 rare in its haunts about Monterey Bay. In quality similar to other 

 small red species. 



S. ovalis, Viuda, Widow — A southern species, taken with hook and 

 line in very deep water, and apparently somewhat rare. This species 

 and rubrivinctus have not been observed in the San Francisco markets 

 either by Professor Jordan or by myself, yet Ayres' type was procured 

 there. 



S. entomelas. Black-bellied Rock Fish — At present the least abun- 

 dant of the group, and known only from Monterey Bay, where it is 



