540 Girard on Fishes of California. 



The first dorsal fin is separated from the second by a nar- 

 row space, not contiguous as formerly stated by us. It is 

 also lower. As to its length, it is contained once and a half 

 in that of the second dorsal, measured along their bases. 

 The anal is as deep as the second dorsal is high ; it is 

 shorter upon its base, and its anterior margin placed a little 

 posterior to the anterior margin of the latter. Both fins 

 terminate evenly posteriorly, whilst in G. lepidus the tips 

 of the posterior rays of the dorsal project further back than 

 those of the anal. These fins have also a proportionally 

 longer base in G. lepidus than in the present species. The 

 caudal fin is rounded upon its posterior margin, constitut- 

 ing a little more than the fifth of the entire length. The 

 vent has the same position, opposite the anterior margin of 

 the second dorsal, as in G. lepidus, and the tips of the 

 ventral fins are far from reaching it. The latter are sub- 

 ovate, inserted immediately under the base of the pectorals 

 themselves, and their posterior extremity projects beyond 

 that of the ventrals. Thus in the relative position and 

 extension of the pectoral and ventral fins, we have good 

 discriminating characters between this species and G. 

 lepidus. 



The formula of the fins is as follows : 



D VIII, 13 ; A 12 ; C 3, i. 6, 6, i. 2 ; V 5 ; P 18. 



The scales are small and quite inconspicuous ; a lateral 

 line, if extant, is not apparent. The scales themselves are 

 subcircular, deeper than long, cycloid in structure, exhibit* 

 ing diverging furrows upon their anterior margin only. 

 They are smaller upon the upper than upon the lower 

 regions of the body. 



The ground color is olivaceous, though the dorsal region 

 appears almost blackish, owing to the accumulation of 

 innumerable black dots which constitute small blotches 

 encircling isolated spots of the ground color. The middle 

 region of the flanks is mottled equally with black. The 

 inferior regions alone being unicolor. The dorsals and 



