824 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



of pectoral fins produced, extending beyond the mem- 

 brane, the longest extending beyond the upper ray of the 

 fin; anal longer and lower than soft dorsal, ending at the 

 same corresponding place ; last ray reaching to the fifteenth 

 plate before caudal fin. Ventrals differing in length in 

 the diiiferent sexes, reaching from slightly beyond vent to 

 nearly half its length beyond; inserted slightly behind 

 pectorals; caudal fin rounded behind; vent anterior, sit- 

 uated on the tenth plate in front of anal. 



Color dark brown, belly white; sides crossed with ir- 

 regular white bars, giving the fish a mottled appearance, 

 besides dark dashes as though the fish had been bathed 

 in ink (iV ij.zXayq') ; snout black; a black streak along lower 

 edge of preopercle ; a black spot on iris above ; dorsals 

 light, mottled with black; anal white with dark mottlings, 

 a dark bar across the posterior rays, the tips of all the 

 rays white; ventrals black, abruptly white at tips; pecto- 

 ral and caudal dark with a white border, a light spot in 

 the center of fins, and many white spots on the. rays; a 

 black spot at base of pectoral. 



Two specimens collected with a seine near Point Or- 

 chard, the largest 7 inches in length. They are in the 

 Museum of the Leland Stanford Jr. University, No. 3135. 



This species is the type of a distinct genus, Averrun- 

 cus, allied to Podoihecus, but with teeth on the vomer and 

 palatines. The lack of the median movable rostral spine 

 separates it from Odontopyxts, in which genus the dorsal 

 fins are very small. 



89. Xystes axinophrys Jordan and Starks, n. gen and 

 sp. Plate xcii. 

 Head 3^ in length of body; depth 5 ; dorsal IX-8; anal 

 10; pectoral 15; lateral line 38; orbit 4 in head; snout 

 to tip of rostral spines 2% '•> maxillary 3^ ; interorbital 

 2)%', pectoral 1% ; highest dorsal spine 2^; highest 



