452 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



spot. Younger spec imeus are often lighter, resembling H. stelleri, with small silvery 

 spots on sides and reddish fins, often showing very conspicuously 7 V-shaped or 

 quadrate blackish blotches at base of dorsal flu, and 5 black radii diverging from 

 eye. The anal fin is usually black in adults, but often shows obliiine cross bands 

 in the young. D., XIX or XX, 22 to 24; A., 22 to 25. Kurile Islands to Unalaska 



H. OCTOGRAMMUS. 



hb. Fourth line of pores simple, long, passing close to ventral fin. 



c. Cheeks and opercles largely naked, a patch of scales on upper por;tions of cheeks and oper- 

 cles, and a small patch sometimes present on middle of cheeks. First and fourth 

 lateral lines very short, variable, the first rarely extending beyond middle of spin- 

 ous dorsal, the fourth to middle of veutrals, rarely beyond. Lower line forked in 

 front of middle of veutrals. Caudal fin narrow, emarginate when closed, less 

 densely scaled than in other species, the scales largo, in single series. Commonly 9 

 scales in an obliquo series between third lateral line and the one above it. Scales 

 on sides of head, breast, i)repectoral area smooth, elsewhere strongly ctenoid. 

 Dorsal fins less deeply notched. Caudal peduncle narrow, the depth less than 

 length of snout. Supraocular fiap small, shorter than diameter of pupil. Color 

 in varying shades of gray ."-nd brown or light reddish, blotched, marbled or barred 

 with dusky ;uid usually with numerous round silvery spots nearly as large as 

 pupil. In brightly nuirked specimens there is a series of ([uadrate dusky blotches 

 along base of dorsal fin, coutinued on base of fin, much as in H. oclogrammiix. 

 Like the latter there are radiating dark streaks around the eye, of which tlie two 

 anterior are the most couspicuious and permanent. No humeral spot. I)., XXIII 

 (XXII to XXIV), 19 to 21; A., 23 or 24. Size small. K.amchatka to Puget 

 Sound H. .STK.r.LEiu. 



cc. Cheeks and oj)ercle8 l.'irg(>ly scaled; the subocular ring, the region overlying the suborbi- 

 tal stay, and the iuteropercle alone naked. 

 <L Su)>raorbital llap long and slender, densely fringed, its length about eijualing vertical 

 diameter of orbit. Scales most cycloid, a band of ctenoid scales often present on 

 post-axillary region. A small i)atch of teeth often present on front of i)alatines. 

 Firstand fourth lateral lines long, usually reaching beyoiul the middle of so(t dor- 

 sal and anal. Cau<lal very broad, rounded posteriorly, even when (in is closed ; the 

 membranes covered basally with small scales, tliose on median membranes in scv- 

 eralseries. Dorsals very deeply notched. Kightor nine scales in anolili(|ue series 

 between second and third rows of pores. Colors usually bright, hut varying 

 through green, brown, and bright red, usually dark green with large round red 

 spots, but extremely variible and sometimes finely fliottled. D., XX, 23; A., 22. 



Bering Island (Heau) to Monterey II. superciliosus. 



dd Supr.aorbital Haj) small, little if at all longer than diameter of ])upil. 



e Caudal very broad, the posterior margin convex even in closed fin. Scales of 

 moderate size, those on breast more than half as large as those ou sides of body. 

 Scales iill strongly ctenoid in the young, excejjt on breast, prepectoral region, 

 and sides of hea<l, all becoming smooth in adults. First and fourth lines long, 

 extending beyond middle of dor.s.'il and anal. Fifth line forking in front of middle 

 of veutrals. Eight or 9 scales in an oblique series between second and third rows 

 of pores. Eye small, less than one-fifth length of head in a specimen 23 cm. long. 

 Pectoral and ventral rays wide, appearing dilated at tip, concealed in very thick 

 liu membranes. Veutrals short and broad in the young, not pointed. Color, plain 

 brown or reddish, with dusky mottlings on dorsal region; a large round humeral 

 spot. Fins not conspicuously marked. D., XXII (XX to XXIII), 22 to 24 ; A., 22 



to24. Sizelarge. Kurile Islands to Bering Island H. i.agocei'Halus. 



ee Caudal narrower, the posterior edge emarginate when fin is closed. Scales smaller 

 than in any other species, those on sides of head and breast minute, nearly uniform, 

 less than one-fourth the size of those on 8i<le8 of body. Eleven or 12 scales in an 

 oblique series between second and third lines. Scales on mid-ventral region, 

 breast, pre])ectoral area, and sides of head smooth, .all others strongly ctenoid 

 throughout life. First lateral lino extending beyond middle of second dorsal. 



