The Mademoiselles 



C. parmpinnis, the California bluefish, is found on our Pacific 

 coast from the Santa Barbara Islands to Guaymas and Mazatlan. It is 

 common as far north as San Pedro, and is an excellent food-fish, not 

 inferior to the squeteague. Colour, clear steel-blue, without stripes or 

 spots; lower fins yellowish. 



C. macdonaldi, the totuava, is the largest species of the genus. It 

 is known only from the Gulf of California, where it is very abundant 

 along the entire eastern shore, congregating in great numbers about the 

 mouth of the Colorado River. It enters the river and is found feeding 

 in shallow water near the shore, where it is easily approached and 

 speared. At the head of the Gulf it is known as the sea-bass, while at 

 Guaymas it is called totuava. It reaches an enormous size, examples 

 weighing 172 pounds having been taken with hand-lines at the head of 

 the Gulf. 



GENUS BAIRDIELLA GILL 



The Mademoiselles 



This genus is characterized by the oblique mouth, little cavernous 

 skull, few rows of small teeth, slender gill-rakers, and the preopercle 

 armed with a plectroid spine. 



The numerous species are all American, all small in size and sil- 



very in colouration. Some of them are remarkable for the great size 

 of the second anal spine, while in others it is quite small. 



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