17 



an allied form known from a few examples taken at widely separated 

 points. It differs from Myctophum in the absence of a lateral line, as 

 well as in other anatomical details. 



FAMILY 16. LANCET FISHES; PLAGYODONTIDAE. 



In this family we have one of the rare species occasionally seen 

 on our coast. The Lancet-fish, Plagyodus ferox (Lowe), (Fig. 26) is 

 a large and ferocious creature, with long sharp teeth set in the wide 

 opening mouth. The body tapers from head to tail and the dorsal fin, 

 which is very high, extends nearly its whole length. The tail is long 

 and deeply forked. The length of the fish is about three feet. 



FAMILY 17. THE PARALEPIDS; PARALEPIDIDAE. 



The rare fish known as Arctozenus coruscans (Jordan and Gilbert), 

 (Fig. 27) which may be termed the Sparkler, is the only member of 

 this family recorded from our region. Only one specimen is known to 

 exist. It was taken at Port Townsend in 1880. The Sparkler is a 

 small fish resembling a miniature Barracuda and is noteworthy for a 

 row of phosphorescent spots on the lower jaw, which suggests the com- 

 mon name. 



FA3nLY 18. SAXD LAXCES; AMMODYTIDAE. 



The common Sand Lance, Ammodytes personatus (Girard), (Fig. 

 28) is the sole type of this family found locally. It is a small silvery 

 fish, six to eight inches in length, found along our shares, and having 

 the peculiar habit of burying itself in the sand. The jaws are without 

 teeth and the ventral fins are lacking. The dorsal fin is low and con- 

 tinuous. The body is covered with small scales and ends in a deeply 

 forked tail. They are edible and are used also for bait. 



FAMILY 19. TLTJE-SXOUTS; AULORHYXCHIDAE. 



In this family we have small odd-looking fish with the snout drawn 

 out into a tubular projection. The eyes are large. Scales are absent 

 and the tail is small and deeply forked. Our only species is the com- 

 mon Tuhe-snont, Aulorhynchus flavidus (Gill), (Fig. 29). 



FAMILY 20. STICKLEBACKS; GASTEROSTELDAE. 



Sticklebacks are usually classed as fresh water fish, since they are 

 abundant in interior lakes and streams, but marine and brackish water 

 species are present along our coast. The Alaska Stickleback, Oas- 

 terosteus cataphractus (Pallas), (Fig. 30) is our local marine form. 

 It is a small fish devoid of true scales, the latter being replaced by a 

 series of large vertical oblong plates. The dorsal fin is preceded by 

 several free spines and a large stout spine is developed in connection 

 with the ventral fin. The damage done by the Stickleback is out of 



