492 THE FUR SEALS OP THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



226. Liopsetta obscura (Herzenstein). 



Pleuronectes ohscurus Herzenstein, Mfilanges Biologiques, 1890, 127. 



Two males from Shaiia Bay, Iturup Island, are referred to this species. The 

 scales ou the colored side are everywhere strongly ctenoid and imbricated, while in the 

 types (supposed to be females) tljey were cycloid. In our specimens the head is some- 

 what smaller, 3-i% in length instead of S-jV to 3| ; the depth is greater, 2^ in length 

 instead of 2f to 2|; the interorbital space is covered with very fine scales, not naked; 

 the curve of the lateral line seems more marked, its chord contained five instead of six 

 times in the straight portion. All of the fins are higher than in the female types, the 

 pectoral of colored side being If in head, the caudal 1^, the ventral half head, and the 

 highest dorsal ray If. Some of these differences may well be sexual. The lower 

 pharyngeals are short and broad, 27 and 29 cm. long. The teeth are large and very 

 blunt, like cobblestones, and are arranged in one row along the outer edge, a row of 

 larger teeth along the inner edge, and a short row along the posterior edge of the 

 triangle. The arrangement is very similar to that found in L. glacialis, but here a 

 few small teeth, without definite arrangement, are interposed in the middle of the 

 bone, between the three series described. 



Dorsal, 59 and 62; anal, 45 and 46; tubes in the lateral line, 79. 



Color on eyed side, uniform dark brown on body and fins, the extreme tips of the 

 fin rays white. On blind side the body is yellowish white, with a few irregular scat- 

 tered dark spots; the dorsal and anal are yellowish at base, becoming more or less 

 mottled with dusky on distal half, the fins marked with broad, dark bars parallel with 

 the rays, about 7 on the anal fin, 10 or 11 on the dorsal; caudal light on basal half 

 more or less blotched with darker, becoming black posteriorly. 



With this species we identify also a number of young specimens 9 to 15 cm. long 

 from the same locality (Iturup Island). They are probably young females, but the 

 viscera are in such condition as to prevent positive determination. The scales are 

 perfectly smooth, but in other respects they agree perfectly with the adult males, 

 except in their more varied coloration. The head and body is brownish, profusely 

 spotted in coarser or finer pattern with light gray ; also with a few scattered black 

 spots edged with gray. The markings on the fins are as described for adults. In 

 seven specimens the dorsal contains 60, 62, 62, 62, 64, 65, and 66 rays; anal, 45, 45, 45, 

 46, 47, 47, 48. 



227. Platichthys stellatus (Pallas). 



Very common ; taken by us at St. Paul, Unalaska, Petropaulski, Bering Island, 

 Eobben Island, Karluk. Recorded by Dr. (lilbert from Bristol Bay, and by Dr. Bean 

 from Kadiak, Unalaska, and St. Michael. Scofield found it abundant at Port Olar 

 ence, and Stejneger on Bering Island. 



228. Grlyptocepbalus zachirus Lockiugton. 



Recorded by Dr. Gilbert from various localities about the peninsula of Alaska. 



229. Microstomus paciiicus (Lookington). 

 Recorded by Dr. Gilbert from about Unalaska. 



