596 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



aa. luterorbital space flat or slightly concave, of medium width, meseth- 

 moid processes but little or not at all elevated, ventral process of 

 basisphenoid rudimentary. Cranial ridges and spines moderately 

 strong. Lower jaw usually not much, sometimes not at all, project- 

 ing; gill-rakers usually long and slender; A. Ill, 6, to III, 8. Deep 

 water fishes, 

 s. Base of skull strongly curved, supraocular spine absent, 

 t. Parietal bones not meeting. Olivaceous above, silvery below. Head 

 2| to 2|; D. XIII-12 or 13; A. Ill, 7; lat. 1. 45 (pores). Maxillary 

 nearly reaching posterior margin of pupil, 21 in head; lower jaw 

 ' somewhat projecting, with a conspicuous knob. Scales rough- 



ctenoid, present on maxillary, mandible and snout. Second anal 

 spine longer and stronger than third, 2 to 2i in head. Peritoneum 

 black. Santa Barbara Islands. saxicola."^ 



tt. Parietal bones meeting. Uniform rose-red above, bright silvery 

 below. Head 21; depth 2|. D. XIII-12 or 13; A. Ill, 7; lat. 1. 

 35 (tubes). Maxillary reaching beyond middle of pupil, 2| in 

 head; premaxillaries with prominent dentigerous knobs, between 

 which the tip of lower jaw fits. Eye 3 to 3^ in head; interorbital 

 space If in orbit. Scales large, minutely spinous, readily de- 

 ciduous; very small and cycloid on maxillary, mandible and breast. 

 Second anal spine longer and stronger than third, 2^ to 3 in head. 

 Peritoneum jet black. Coronado Islands. diploproaA 



ss. Base of skull nearly straight; supraocular spine present, quite 

 strong. Coronal and nuchal spines usually present (except in me- 

 lanostomus) . 

 u. Second aual spine much longer and stronger than third, 2| in 

 head. A. Ill, 6; head 2|; depth 2S. D. XIII-13 or 14; lat. 1. 29 

 (pores). Maxillary nearly reaching posterior margin of orbit, 21 

 in head; mandible included. Eye large, 3^ in head, much longer 

 than snout or interorbital space. Scales everywhere very rough- 

 ctenoid, covering branchiostegal rays, mandible and maxillarj'. 

 Uniform red, light below. Peritoneum black. Santa Barbara 

 Islands. aurora.X 



uu. Second aual spine little or not at all longer than third. A. Ill, 7. 

 V. Lower jaw projecting; longest dorsal spine 3i or more in head; 

 mouth and gill cavities black, 

 w. Anal spines graduated. Head 3^; in total length; depth about 

 3. D. XIII-13J; A. Ill, Ih lat. 1. 43. Body short, deep. 

 Maxillary reaching posterior border of pupil; lower jaw pro- 



^ Sebastichthys saxicola Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 78, 1890. 

 t Sebastichthys diploproa Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 79, 1890. 

 X Sehastic.hthys aurora Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 80, 1890. 



