462 . THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



contaia openings of the mucous canals. Both pairs of nostrils with short wide tubes. 

 Jaws and vomer with wide bands of cardiform teeth of equal size. A round poi^e 

 nearly as large as nostril immediately behind last gill. Gill membranes with a short 

 free border mesially. 



D., IX, 15; A., 13; P., 17; pores of lateral line 33 or S~>. Head (measured to end 

 of opercular flap) 2J in length; depth about half head. Least interorbital width 

 three-flftbs diameter of orbit, which is one-fifth length of head to tip of opercular 

 spine. Greatest width of head 1* in its length. Mouth large, the lower Jaw included, 

 the maxillary reaching the vertical immediately behind the orbit; its length 2? in head. 



Third, fourtli, and fifth dorsal spines nearly equal, the fifth strongest, eciual to 

 length of snout and half eye. A very short interspace between the two dorsals. 

 Second dorsal very high, the longest rays eipialing length of snout and eye. Caudal 

 gently rounded when spread, its length half that of head to end of opercular spine. 

 The ventrals reach halfway to front of anal, equaling height of second dorsal. Pec- 

 torals scarcely to vent, the length of the longest rays equaling distance from eye 

 to tip of opercular spine. Vent midway between base of caudal and base of lower 

 pectoral ray. Skin everywhere smooth. 



Our specimen agrees well with the description of the much smaller type (185 mm.), 

 apparently dittering in the shorter pectorals and more deeply concave interorbital 

 space. Tlie white spots also show no tendency to run Together to form streaks either 

 along back or on the bases of the fins. 



97. Myoxocephalus jaok Ciivier and V.tleucionno's. 



Coitus htimilia Hoan, I'roc. U. S. Nat. Miis. 1881, 119; Cliamisso Island, Eschsitholtz Bay. 

 Voting pohjacanthocephalus Kncr, Sit/nngsl). d. K. Akad. d. Wiesen. LVHI, 1868, p. 21; taf. IV, 



11. Decastris Hay (not of Pallas). 

 Cottiis Uvniopternn Hean and Uean, I'roc. U. S. Nat. Miis. 18!)G, 381 (not of Kner^. 



In a report on the ic^hthyological collections of the Albatross in Alaska (IJeport of 

 United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries for 18!)3, p. 421), Dr. (Jilhcrt writes 

 as follows: "^4. Iiitmilis closely resembles the description of vl. ;rro/r, with which it 

 may well be identical. We do not venture to make tliis identification as A. jaolc is 

 said to have but 7 dorsal spines, a number we have not found in A. hiimilis.''' On 

 further consideration we have decided that the two nuist be identical. The type of 

 jaok was a large dried specimen, the same which had served Pallas for his account of 

 Coitus scorpius. In such a dried specimen it would be very diflicult to enumerate 

 correctly the low, feeble spines, of which the first two are very closely approximated 

 and the last one often minute ami hidden in the membrane. M. hum His is abundant 

 along the coast of Kamchatka and agrees with the account ot jaok in having the 

 upper parts covered with small brown spots, the back with a series of round spinous 

 plates, and the sides below the lateral lines with jiosteriorly directed si)ines; it also 

 agrees in reaching a very large size. In the description of: jaok, the fin fornuila, 

 except the number of dorsal spines, is that most frequently found in hiimilis. 



Specimens are in the jM-esent collection fron) Petropaulski and from stations .'3G4CJ 

 and 3048, off Robben Island, in 18 and 20 fathoms. All of these have the supraocular 

 and occipital crests higher and sharper than in those from the eastern portion of Bering 

 Sea, and the preopercular spines are longer, usually reaching in young specimens 

 to or beyond opercular margin. These are, however, characters subject to much 

 variation within the group, in which it will always be unsafe to recognize subspecies 



