470 



THE FlIR SEALS OP THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



whitisli patches; five black spots on lower jaw; top of liead blackish; a narrow blotch 

 at shoulder; a wider one across first dorsal; a broad one on second dorsal abruptly 

 broadened on body, thea narrowed extending across anal; an irregular bar at base of 

 caudal; a narrow bar and some spots and streaks on the fin; pectoral with two 

 curved bars, the inner concave, the outer convex backward, the two inclosing a 

 rounded pinkish area. 



One specimen 50 mm. long from station 3G40 off St. Paul Island; depth, 26 

 fathoms. The species is abundant from Puget Sound through Bering Sea to the 

 Kuril Islands. The present collection contains a specimen 16 mm. long from station 

 3653 off" Iturup Island; depth, 18 fathoms. The species was also taken at station 3674, 

 off Karluk. In these specimens the coloration is variable, the bands on the back 

 being sometimes divided. The pectoral fins are orange at base in life, the color vary- 

 ing to bright yellow. 



Family AGONID^^. 

 119. Occa dodecaedron (Tileaius). 



Two specimens from Shana Bay, Iturup Island, liecorded by Dr. Gilbert from 



Bristol Bay. These agree 

 very closely in details of form, 

 structure, and coloration with 

 material from eastern Bering 

 Sea and seem to differ only 

 in the longer, sharper spines 

 with which the plates of the 

 dorsal series are provided. 

 The ridges on the top of the 

 head are also narrower and 

 sharper. This may indicate 

 specific or subspeciflc separa- 

 tion, but our material is 

 insufficient to indicate that 

 such is the case. From Ouvier's description, based on an individual sent him /by 

 Tilesius, our specimens differ in the coloration of the caudal fin, the longer head, and 

 the shorter snout and eye. The caudal is nearly uniformly blackish, not spotted with 

 brown like the pectorals. The head is contained 4| times in total length (not 6 times), 

 and the eye and snout are about one-fifth length of head (not one-fourth). 



The species is closely allied to 0. verrucosa, but differs conspicuously in coloration 

 and in numerous structural details. The cheeks are naked below the stay, the stay 

 is without spine, the medial portion of gill membranes are plated, and the invest- 

 ment of the breast is very different. Compare in this respect the accompanying 

 figure with Steindachner's plate of Agonus barkani (= 0. verrucosa) in Ichthy. 

 Beitrage IX, taf. V. Fin rays in our specimens: D., X, 8; A., 14; P., 14 or 15. The 

 two species verrucosus and dodecaedron form a minor group or genus, distinguished 

 from Brachyopsis (rostratus) by the short snout, which is not produced and Syngnathus- 

 like. Siphagonus Steindachner is identical with Brachyopsis. For the group typified 

 by verrucosus and dodecaedron Jordan and Evermann have taken the name Occa 

 (meaning a harrow). 



Oeca dodecaedron, Sbana Bay, Ilurup Island. Anna L. Brown del. 



