43 



the back, where the ground color is interspersed with smal] streaks of 

 dard red ; as well as by the black-tipped ventrals. This species is 

 occasionall.y sent to market in considerable numbers from Monterey, 

 where it is taken in seines. 



Brachyistius rosaceus is a pretty little pinkish fish, with two darker 

 spots on each side near the base of the soft dorsal. 



The first specimen observed in the market was treasured by the 

 dealer as a curiosity, and the second was secured by the writer for 

 Professor Jordan, who has since obtained two or three others. It is 

 rare, and at present only known from the markets of San Francisco. 



Abeona aurora is, from the structure of the teeth, nearly related to 

 the Least Shiner, {Abeona minima) but does not very closely resemble 

 it, in general appearance, and is larger. It may be identified by the 

 brassy streak which extends along the body from the snout to the 

 base of the caudal, and by the blackish axil of the pectoral, and 

 the considerably forked tail fin. At present it is certainly known 

 only from Monterey Bay, where it is very abundant about rocks. 

 Many inhabit the larger rock pools at Point Pinos. It reaches about 

 a third of a pound in weiglit. 



Some alterations have been made in the nomenclature of this 

 group. The short, broad species, called by Gibbons' Hyperprosopon 

 have, together with Hypercritichthys of Gill, been placed by Professor 

 Jordan in Holconotus, (Agassiz) from which the.y are not distin- 

 guished by any structural character; and for similar reasons the 

 genera Pltanerodon of Girard and Tseniotoca of Agassiz have been 

 merged in Embiotoca, which must itself give way for the older name 

 of Ditrema, since the species which of all the group was first de- 

 scribed, namely, Ditrema temmincki, a Japanese fish, turns out to be, 

 according to Professor Jordan, generically identical with Embiotoca 

 of our own coast. 



As food fishes, the Embiotocidse are far inferior to the other lead- 

 ing groups of the coast, but their abundance in species and in indi- 

 viduals renders them valuable. All the tribe feed upon Crustacea 

 and small fishes. 



The great peculiarity of this tribe does not consist so much in the 

 mere fact that the eggs are hatched within the body of the mother, 

 since this occurs also in the large group of rock cod; but in the 

 small number and high state of development of the young, and in 

 the modifications of structure of males and females, resulting in an 

 evident differentiation of the sexes. The eggs are hatched, and 

 afterwards the young develop, within the ovaries, which are devel- 

 oi)ed for the purpose into a number of pouches or rather folds, and 

 from which they escape into the sea through the vulva. There is no 

 trace of any connection of any kind between the young and their 

 parent; no rudimentary placenta, as there is in some sluirks. The 

 males have the anal fin constructed diff'erently to that of the females, 

 and it is probable that some sort of copulation takes place, as the 

 eggs must be fecundated while within the ovary. The liard struct- 

 ure in the anal fin of the male is a clasping organ. 



In most genera there is between the ventral fins and tlie anal an 

 elongated naked area, forming a groove, and between the basis of the 

 ventrals is a lance-shaped blade, covered with scales, its free tip 

 overhanging the front of the scaleless area. 



From Professor Jordan's notes I glean the following fresh particu- 



