The California Sheepsbead 177 



finement I found that the rich crimson band 

 faded in a few days. 



The coloring of this remarkable fish is so ar- 

 ranged that it appears to have three large distinct 

 bands ; the head black, the mid-body crimson, the 

 caudal portion black. In old males the under- 

 jaw becomes very prominent and is pure white. 

 The fish has an enormous mouth, recalling that 

 of the hogfish, which is armed with canine teeth 

 so prominent that they give it a most ferocious 

 appearance. The eye is small yet richly colored, 

 and while lost in the enormous head, is an inter- 

 esting organ giving character to the fish, due, 

 perhaps, to its unusual power of motion. Thus a 

 large sheepshead, which I kept in confinement, 

 would follow me around as I walked by its tank, 

 begging to be fed, poising and holding itself in 

 position by delicate and dexterous motions of its 

 side-fins. It would follow every movement with 

 its eyes, tipping and turning about to an extraor- 

 dinary extent. This fish became very tame, and 

 with it I kept others of both sexes and all sizes, 

 which were so varied in color and marking that 

 they would be easily considered different fishes by 

 those not familiar with them. The females were 

 normally a dusky red or rose color all over ; some 



