^'OL. 3] Starks-Morris. — Marine Fishes. 233 



spines and from 6 to 9 soft rays. In Gibbonsia evides the dorsal 

 has from 29 to 31 spines and from 7 to 10 soft rays. In the 

 former species the anal has from 22 to 25 rays, while in Gibbonsia 

 evides it has from 26 to 28 rays. The alleged greater extent of 

 the pellucid area of the soft dorsal of Gibbonsia elegans can not 

 be used to separate the species. Though in the average it is larger 

 and more usually present in that species, any condition of it 

 found in one species may be found in the other. 



The species overlap in geographical range ; three specimens of 

 Gibbonsia evides were found at San Diego among a couple of 

 hundred of Gibbonsia elegans, and one of the latter species was 

 found at Monterey Bay among about a hundred of the former 

 species. 



The most common coloration of Gibbonsia elegans is as fol- 

 lows: Dark brown with red shades above lateral line and green 

 below ; belly, yellow or white. Irregular cross-bars mottle the 

 sides; these are usually outlined with light blue, green, or yellow. 

 Lower part of head and body usually spotted or reticulated with 

 white. An ocellated spot nearly always present behind opercular 

 flap, another under posterior fourth of spinous dorsal, and often 

 one (usually smaller) under front of soft dorsal; these black or 

 dark green and ringed with red. Some specimens are light ma- 

 roon without cross-bars or other markings, except usually the 

 ocellated spots, which when present are blue or brown in the 

 middle, and ringed with dark brown, red, or blue, or sometimes 

 with all of these colors. Membrane of caudal very light brown, 

 spotted with round transparent spots ; the rays of caudal colored 

 like body. Last dorsal rays transparent; transparent areas on 

 spinous dorsal at regular intervals, growing small and disappear- 

 ing posteriority ; dark bars on pectoral and ventral. A silvery line 

 running backward from eye often present. Other specimens sim- 

 ilar to the above, but the prevailing color dull greenish drab, with 

 or without traces of longitudinal lines. The ocellated spots green 

 in the center, ringed with bright red. Rarely specimens are 

 everyAvhere bright moss green with irregular longitudinal white 

 lines in pairs, inclosing between each pair darker green. Bright 

 green markings on fins. The ocellated spots dark green, ringed 

 with very bright red. The young up to two inches in length are 



