SIO S^ATUEAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN ALASKA. 



Hexageammus aspek Steller. 



Saint Michaels, August 20, 1880. One fatJiotu. 

 Saint Michaels, August 20, 1880. One fathom. 

 Saint Michaels, June 16, 1881. Kelp-fish. 

 Saint Michaels, June 17, 1881. Kelp-fish. 

 Saint Michaels, July 23, 1877. 

 Saint Michaels, July 23, 1877. 

 Saint Michaels, July 23, 1877. 



(Notes on original Nos. 20, 22, 27.) 



JRocTc God (Norton Sound, Saint Michaels, July 23, 1877). — Light olive-brown, with an incli- 

 nation toward a yellowish tyit on center of scales on back. Back and sides covered with numerous 

 • dark bluish spots scattered irregularly over the surface, each occupying about 3 or 4 scales. 

 These spots also extend over the opercular bones. Head olive, fading below into pale yellowish. 

 Tentral surface dark leaden, fainter on caudal peduncle. The olive-brown of back fades into 

 a lighter and more golden tint on sides. Tail pale olive with a pale yellowish band crossing 

 its middle in an arc. Anal and ventrals leaden blue, much like the color of abdomen, but rather 

 brighter. Pectorals pale yellowish with an olive tint. Entire base of dorsals bright golden-orange 

 ■with numerous irregular bars or rows of spots of the same, extending upward to border and 

 •obliquely forward. The spaces between these are occupied by pale drab, which becomes darker 

 toward the anterior portion, and on the first 4 membranes is nearly or quite black. Nose and 

 cheeks pale olive ; top of head very dark. 



(22) A second specimen a trifle larger than No. 20. (Same locality, July 24.) — In this specimen 

 the dark spots on sides are less conspicuous, and a steely greenish hue is present on a considerable 

 portion of the sides along the lower lateral line; below this, along the entire length, is a golden- 

 yellow space, becoming brighter below to ventral surface, where it is abruptly outlined against the 

 slightly lighter dusky-white of the outer margin of abdomen, which, over chest and along median 

 portion to tail, is dark plumbeous. A narrow light band separates the dark outer part of the anal 

 from body. The lower half of the pectorals is plumbeous, the upper half a golden olive. The 

 entire head from eyes down has an orange-yellow tint, which is obscured, but becomes brighter 

 to lower margin of opercular bones, under which the color is very apparent. 

 32920. (35.) Saint Michaels, August 1, 1877. 



This specimen was brought me as soon as taken from the water, and I had opportunity to see 

 a remarkable change in the colors; for, while I held it struggling iu my hand, the dull, blackish 

 brown color which covers the sides and back of the fish while in the water became overspread with 

 a beautiful bright golden orange, covering entirely the other colore, and relieved only by spots 

 which took a more brassy luster. In a few minutes the fish had entirely metamorphosed itself. 

 The brassy spots mentioned above that were on the fish when taken from the water were nearly 

 black. 



On taking the fish up to make notes upon it the next morning I chanced to touch it with a 

 cloth, when, to my astonishment, the golden color adhered to it, and by passing the cloth over tue 

 fish a few times I found that I had restored the original colors nearly as in nature. A golden tint, 

 however, was still evident about the borders of the scales. The side which was exposed to the 

 air bad nearly assumed its original colors, but the side which rested upon the board was still 

 bright golden when I took it up in the morning. 

 32935. (30.) Eock Cod. 



Hexageammus oedinatus (Cope). Green-fish. (Plate XIX.) 



32830, 32-^31, 32866, 32919. (Pa-lila'-hi). Uualaska, May, 1877. Aleut, Tt7--pook. 



(Notes on original Nos. 6 5 , 9 3 , 10 5 , 14 5 .) 



Common about kelp-beds near shore. Ground color a varying shade of olive. The scales on 

 sides and back profusely punctulated with brown dots, which in some specimens almost entirely 

 obscure the olive. The sides are irregularly flecked with rather numerous silvery spots. The flesh 



