82 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



separation is at times a matter of some difficulty. Distributed through the Sacramento, Klamath, 

 Columbia, Oregon Lake, and Lahontan systems, they may be regarded as representatives of a single 

 ancestral form. Rutter has recorded C. beldingi from Cole Creek near Sierraville, "a Truckee Basin 

 species with entirely smooth skin, no palatine teeth, and short fins. " The difficulty of distinguishing 

 between C. beldingi and C. gulosus compels one to accept this identification with reserve. Examples 

 of C. gulosus often appear with perfectly smooth skin, no palatine teeth, and comparatively short fins. 

 The writer has not observed C. beldingi with prickles, but palatine teeth are frequently present, and the 

 fins are usually longer than those of C. gulosus fi 



Like C. gulosus, C. beldingi has a large and well-rounded head and a deep robust body with a large 

 caudal pedimcle. The skin appears to always be free from prickles. The lateral line is imperfect, 

 usually reaching a point below posterior third of the soft dorsal, scattered pores sometimes appearing 

 on the caudal peduncle. Palatine teeth are absent, or in some cases present when there is a narrow band 

 equal in length to about half the longitudinal diameter of eye. The maxillary reaches posteriorly to 

 below edge of pupil or even to center of eye. The nostrils have distinct and well-elevated rims, that 

 of the anterior being the higher. There is always one prominent, sharp, fiat, upturned, preopercular 

 spine and usually a second small one below it which projects downward. The spinous dorsal is broadly 

 rounded in outline, the edge scarcely scalloped, entirely separated from the soft dorsal in some exam- 

 ples, meeting it in others, or even joining it, the membrane then extending a short distance upward 

 on the base of the first ray. The edge of the soft dorsal is but little scalloped. The last ray is con- 

 nected with the caudal pedimcle with a narrow membrane. Edge of anal deeply scalloped, the last 

 ray without a posterior membrane. Pectoral rays usually 14 or 15, their tips often extending to a point 

 above second or third anal ray, sometimes barely reaching origin of anal, but averaging longer than 

 those of C. gulosus. Ventrals i, 4, sometimes i, 3. Caudal bluntly rounded. The dorsal spines 

 number from 6 to 8; rays 13 to 18; anal rays ii to 13. 



The sides and upper part of the body are irregularly banded or clouded with dusky, coarsely and 

 profusely spotted, or in some cases reticulated. When more or less definite bands appear, there are 

 usually two beneath the spinous dorsal and three beneath the soft dorsal. There is almost invariably 

 a narrow and sharply defined band at the base of caudal. The spinous dorsal is more or less clouded 

 with dusky pigment. The soft dorsal, anal, and caudal rays bear at intervals elongate black spots, 

 which arrange themselves in lines, the fins thus presenting a barred effect. Often the anal is immacu- 

 late, and in some cases the dorsal is nearly so. The pectoral is frequently barred. The head is dark, 

 with closely apposed dusky clouds, reticulations, and spots. In life the color is light or dark olive, 

 some examples being rather grayish. 



On account of the roily condition of the streams when most of the observations in the Lahontan 

 system were made, specimens of this species were seldom seen imtil they became entangled in the net. 

 Several were secured with hook and line. None was caught in the lower course of the Truckee River. 

 Examples were most often taken while dragging the net over rough bottom in the more rapid parts of 

 the stream. In the Truckee River near Floriston an individual was occasionally seen either under a 

 bowlder or close by its sheltering edge. The partly digested body of a young sucker was found in the 

 stomach of one specimen. 



o Rutter also described two new Cottoids from the Sacramento, C . macrops and C. asperrima (Bulletin) Bureau Fisheries, 

 vol. xxvn, 1907, p. 144 and 146). The writer has made a careful examination of the types of both of these which are preserved 

 in the National Museum. The type of C. macrops on direct comparison with examples of C. oviosus seems to differ in no way 

 from a typical example of that species, except that the eye is somewhat larger. In the figure the eye is represented as directed 

 laterally, while in specimens it is directed obliquely upward. The type of C. asperrima appears also to be a specimen of C, 

 ffulosus, having the same general characteristics of that species, except that the prickly investment of the skin is much more 

 marked than usual, but not more extensive than has been observed in other specimens. There are seven dorsal spines in the 

 type. The eyes are directed more laterally, the back is somewhat more elevated, the caudal ijeduncle is more slender, and the 

 dorsal fins are more broadly united than the figure would lead one to suppose. Callus f/ulosus is a species of wide range and 

 variable characteristics, able to enter the brackish water in the mouths of the rivers and also make its way high up in the smaller 

 mountain tributaries. It has been described under several names ,«nd at times has been confused with C. asper and C. altuticus. 



