2352 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



in front, where there is a narrow villiform band; no conspicuous posterior 

 canines ; maxillary not produced backward from angle of mouth ; a tentacle 

 above eye, none at nape; gill membranes united, free from the isthmus. 

 Shoulder girdle with an upturned hook on its inner edge as in Clinus. 

 Dorsal fin long and low, chiefly composed of spines, 5 of the anterior 

 spines different from the others, longer and set farther apart ; anal fin low, 

 with 2 spines; ventral fins jugular, of 1 spine and 2 or 3 rays; caudal fin 

 truncate; branch iostegals 6; no air bladder; pyloric cajca absent. Vivip- 

 arous. Pacific coast; bright-colored fishes, inhabiting rock pools among 

 algae. This genus is very close to Clinus (type C. acuminatus, Cnvier & 

 Valenciennes), differing chiefly in the form of the dorsal fin and in the 

 pointed snout. In CUnus the first 3 dorsal spines are shorter than the 

 others. (Named for Dr. William Peters Gibbons, of Alameda, California, 

 who was one of the early naturalists in the California Academy of Sciences. ) 



o. Dorsal rays about V-XXXI, 10; anal ray a about 11,26; soft dorsal low; coloration 

 comparatively plain, the soft dorsal without pellucid area. EVIDES, 2689. 



aa. Dorsal rays about V-XXVIII, 1 ; anal rays II, 24 ; soft dorsal high ; coloration more 

 or less highly variegated ; soft dorsal with a large pellucid blotch posteriorly. 



ELEGANS, 2690. 



2689. GIBBOXSIA EVIDES (Jordan & Gilbert). 



(KELPFISH; SEXORITA.) 



Head 4; depth 4^. D. V-XXX or XXXI, 10 or 11; A. II, 26 or 27. Body 

 elongate, compressed; head small, rather pointed; mouth quite small, 

 terminal, the maxillary about reaching pupil, 3J in head; lower jaw pro- 

 jecting, vomer with teeth; no teeth on palatines; posterior teeth not 

 recurved ; eye moderate, shorter than snout, 5 to 6 in head ; a small supra- 

 ocular flap, not higher than pupil; nasal cirrus very small; first spine of 

 dorsal inserted over preopercle, its length more than that of head, the 

 second nearly equal ; the third, fourth, and fifth progressively shorter ; 

 the sixth about as long as the fourth; the seventh longer; the rest nearly 

 equal to the last, which is lower than the soft rays ; the soft dorsal lower 

 and more rounded than in G. elegans, the longest ray 2f in head; pectorals 

 moderate, not reaching vent; ventrals moderate; scales very small, 

 smooth; head naked; no air bladder. Usual color of adult, translucent, 

 reddish or orange, nearly plain or with oblong dark clouds below middle 

 of sides anteriorly; often scattered blackish spots on sides, irregularly 

 placed, forming a broken lateral band, most distinct in the young; a large 

 pellucid spot on the membrane behind third dorsal spine, sometimes some 

 small ones behind it; pectorals nearly plain; dorsal and anal plain, red- 

 dish, with a broad dusky shade distally; soft dorsal without pellucid 

 area ; caudal plain ; a dark streak backward from eye ; young examples 

 often variegated, with light and dark shades of red, brown, and white, 

 sometimes with 6 to 8 dark cross bars, sometimes with 4 or 5 lengthwise 

 stripes alternating with paler ones, the hue varying exceedingly and 

 dependent on the surrroundings, but never so extravagantly spotted as in 

 ftibbonsia clegans. Length 9 inches. Coast of California south to Point Con- 

 cepcion ; abundant in the kelp, rarely in rock pools. Here described from 

 specimens from Monterey. (svEidrjz, comely ; EV, well ; ei$o$, appearance.) 



