358 GAME FISH OF NORTH AMERICA. 



furrow. The scales are smooth and entire-margined. In an unde- 

 reloped condition the sexual organs are essentially similar to those 

 of ordinary fishes; the ovaries only differ from those of regular 

 viviparous fishes by having thicker walls, and the eggs are less nu- 

 merous. In the progress of development, however, a uterus-like 

 envelope results, and a few of the eggs become matured, and there- 

 from are hatched young, which are accommodated in concomit- 

 antly enlarging folds of the so-called uterus. The young vary in 

 number from about seven or eight to forty, but the smaller numbers 

 appear to be more frequent than the larger. The family is very 

 characteristic of the western coast, only two or three species being 

 known to occur beyond the limits of the Pacific coast of tem- 

 perate North America, and these few only on the opposite coast of 

 the Pacific in the northern temperate r^on, and in the opposite 

 hemisphere in the temperate seas of New Zealand and Australia. 



The Western American marine species have been designated \ej 

 foUo^^■ing names : 



i. Hyfsiirus Caryi. — A. Agassiz. 

 a. Pkamrodon- furcatus. — Oirard. 



3. Pkan^rodon argyrostrma. — Gill. 



4. Emhiotoca jfacksffni. — Agassiz^ 



5. Ttzniatoca la.ieralis,-~~K. AgassiL 



6. Dafitaiichthys vacca. — Giiard. 



7. RAaajckUus iajceies.—Agas^z. 



&. Ampktstichu^ argmteus. — Agassiz. 

 ^ Holcoiutits rlutddfients. — Agassiz. 



10. HolcoKctus puick^Uus. — ^A. Agassiz. 



11. Cjrynatogiaster aggregaius. — Gibbons. 



12. Hypocritichtkys anaiis. — GDI. 



13. Hyperprosopan argcnieus. — Gibbons. 



14. ** arctuiius. — Gibbons. 



15. " agassisti. — Gill. 



16. BrachyisHus freruiixs, — GUI. 



17. Abeema mininta, — GiU. 



One species of the family {Hysterocarpiis Traskii) is also an in- 

 habitant of the fi-esh water of the Sacramento river, and differs suf- 

 ficiently in several respects fi-om the other species of the family to be 

 entitled to sub-family differentiation. 



The species of the family are collectively known as " Surf-fish " 

 and " Perch." They are, however, not at all related to the true 

 perch, or any of the species so called elsewhere. "Surf-fish " is a 



