Dr. W. O. Ayres on the Sebastoid Fishes of California. 337 
elevated, ending in a free spine; of the preopercular spines, the 
upper two are well developed, not very sharp, the lower three form- 
ing blunt projections; two opercular spines sharp, not very long. 
Humeral and scapular somewhat prominent. Spinous dorsal a little 
higher than the soft portion. Second anal spine higher than the 
third, and much stouter. 
Colour pale red, becoming lighter beneath, with several light-pink 
spots on the upper parts of the sides. These spots are commonly 
three, though occasionally one or two additional irregular ones are 
seen. Sometimes in the largest specimens the light red of the 
ground-colour is variegated with numerous minute whitish specks. 
The outline figure (given above) represents the projection of the 
lower jaw a little more strongly marked than it should be ; and shows 
also but the lower of the two opercular spines, giving instead one too 
many on the preoperculum. Otherwise, though rough, it is tole- 
rably characteristic. 
S. helvomaculatus is not by any means rare, being brought to the 
markets of San Francisco in some numbers. They are commonly 
small, not exceeding a pound in weight, though specimens weighing 
three to four pounds are sometimes seen. This species has been 
referred by Mr. Gill (Joc. cit.) to the South American form described 
by Cuvier, S. ocellatus. The identification may perhaps be correct, 
for the two doubtless approach each other closely ; but the differ- 
ence in proportions, in the spines of the head, and in the colouring of 
the fins, and the wide separation in localities, together with the fact 
that no specimens have been brought to me among numerous col- 
lections made on this coast south of Point Conception, have induced 
me to retain, at least for the present, the name given to our north- 
ern species. 
