42 



those mathematical naturalists who seek to bind nature to fixed rules 

 might make several species out of it. It attains a length of two feet 

 or more, and a weight of from twelve to fifteen pounds. It is very 

 abundant in the kelp south of Point Concepcion, and is taken in 

 immense numbers by the Chinese, who dry and salt it. 



The flesh is rather coarse, but the fat forehead is esteemed for 

 chowder. It feeds upon Crustacea and mollusks. Rare instances of 

 its occurrence at Monterey are on record. 



Platyglossus modestus, King-fish — This species shares with several 

 others, in no wise related to it, the names of king-fish and sea-trout. 

 It is rarely brought to the markets of San Francisco, yet it is of com- 

 mon occurrence in the Bay of Monterey, and from that point south- 

 ward. It is a shallow water species, and frequents the kelp that 

 floats near the shore, and is taken from the wharf at Monterey in dip 

 nets. 



When fresh, the adults are far from deserving the name of modestus,. 

 since they are decorated with waving, broken lines of bright green 

 upon the sides of the head, are bright orange red below, becoming 

 brown above, and have the front edge of each scale marked with a 

 line of green. The first dorsal is bright blue at the base; there is a 

 dark green or blue spot at the upper pectoral axil, and a black blotch 

 on the base of the tail-fin. 



The young are much less brightly tinted, the green lines are not 

 conspicuous, and the color is olivaceous above, fading into whitish 

 below. It is common in the kelp, and is often taken with hook and 

 line, or with baited dip net. It is chiefly used for bait, although its; 

 flesh is said to be of good quality. 



Platyglossus semiciiidus, the Kelp Fish, is not rare in the kelp from 

 Santa Catalina southward, and at San Pedro is occasionally taken in 

 gill nets and sometimes with the hook. It is larger than the last 

 species, reaching about a pound in weight. 



FAM. POMACENTRID^. 



Of this family, which includes numerous short-bodied, large- 

 scaled fishes with the lower pharyngeal bones united, only three- 

 species are know to occur upon our coast, and neither of these ranges 

 north of Point Concepcion. 



Hypsipops rubricundus, Garibaldi, Red Perch — This species is- 

 abundant at the Santa Barbara Islands and southwards; is taken 

 chiefly with gill nets; reaches a weight of three or four pounds, and 

 is not held in high esteem as food. 



CJiromis 2)unctipmiiis, known as the Blacksmith, is abundant in the 

 same localities as the last, and is taken with gill nets, or with hook 

 and line. It reaches two pounds in weight, but is not valued. Like 

 the other species of the tribe, it feeds on shellfish and Crustacea. 



PAM. EMBIOTOCIDiE. 



This curious tribe of viviparous fishes has had its numbers 

 increased by the addition of three species, described by Messrs. Jor- 

 dan and Gilbert, and all occurring in the markets of San Francisco. 



One of these, Ditrema atripes, is exceedingly like the better known 

 Ditrema (Phanerodon) furcatum, but is larger, and may be distin- 

 guished by the darker tint of the sides, becoming still darker on 



