2426 Bulletin 47, United States National Mtiseum. 



2782. XIPHIDION RUPESTRE (Jordan &. Gilbert). 



Head 7 in body; depth 9. D. LXVIII; A. 50; eye 6 in head; maxillary 

 2|; caudal 2*. Teeth essentially as in X. mucosum. The lower lateral line 

 sends a branch to the abdominal line ; a constriction at the nape. Distance 

 from origin of dorsal to the occiput greater than the distance from the 

 occiput to the snout. Anal fin beginning much in advance of middle of 

 body, the distance from the first ray to tip of caudal exceeding IJie distance 

 to snout by nearly twice length of head; pectoral very short, its length less 

 than diameter of eye. Reddish brown, uniform or variously shaded with 

 lighter ; a light olivaceous bar at base of caudal, extending on dorsal and 

 anal, behind this a blackish area; tip of caudal usually pale; 3 long, well- 

 defined stripes radiating backward from eye, these stripes uniform black, 

 abruptly margined with very light olive; the central stripe proceeding 

 straight backward from the eye, breadth of cheek, at which point it is 

 broadest; it is then narrowed and bent abruptly downward; both the 

 middle and lower stripes reach the margin of preopercle. Length 12 inches. 

 Smaller than the preceding, and equally abundant ; among rocks and algre, 

 from Vancouver Island to Monterey. Here described from specimens, 6 or 

 7 inches in length, from Neah Bay, Straits of Fuca, Washington, (rupes- 

 tris, living among rocks.) 

 Xiphister rupestris, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. IT. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 137, Monterey Bay, 



California (Coll. Jordan & Gilbert) ; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 773, 1883. 

 Xiphidion rupestre, JORDAN & STARKS, Fishes Puget Sound, 848, 1895. 



911. CEBEDICHTHYS,* Ayres. 



Gebedichthys, AYRES, Proc. Cal. Ac. Nat. Sci., 1, 1855, 59 (violaceus). 



Body comparatively short, compressed, covered with minute scales; 

 lateral line distinct, running very high, with very short branches, each 

 ending in a pore, as in Xiphistes, but the branches more oblique and less 

 regular. Head short; crown with a conspicuous fleshy longitudinal crest 

 in the adult; jaws subequal, with conical teeth ; villiform teeth on voiner 

 and palatines; gill membranes united, free from the isthmus. Dorsal fin 

 continuous, long and low, the anterior part composed of sharp spiues, 

 which are rather lower than the soft rays; caudal fin rounded, connected 

 Avith dorsal and anal; anal fin similar to soft dorsal, with 1 or 2 small 

 spines; pectorals small; ventrals wanting. Intestinal canal elongate, 

 with several pyloric cjeca. Pacific Ocean. Herbivorous; similar in habits 



* The following remarkable genus may be allied to Cebedichthys: 



NEOZOARCES, Steindachner. 



Neozoarceg, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitr., ix, 26, 1880 (pulcher). 

 NEOZOARCES PULCHER, Steindachner. 



Body elongate, tapering backward, the dorsal and anal united at the tail without distinct 

 caudal. Scales small, embedded, no lateral line. Mouth very large, the maxillary extend- 

 ing far beyond eye; lower jaw slightly longer than upper; blunt, conical teetli in many 

 rows on jaws, voiner, and palatines. A thick tentacle above nostril ; gill membranes united, 

 free from isthmus. Dorsal low, the anterior portion of short, stiffish spines; no anal 

 spine; ventrals wanting; pectorals moderate; pseudobranchia3 present. Head 6; depth 

 9. D.XLI,50 ; A. 1,75. Color highly variegated. Gulf of Strietok, Okhotsk Sea. (fee?, 

 new; Zoarces; but it has little affinity with the latter genus.) 



Neozoarces pulcher, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Beitr., IX, 27, taf. 6, f. 2, 1880, Gulf of Strietok. 

 (Coll. Professor Dybowski.) 



