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FAIVULY 28. SURF-FISHES; EJtBIOTOCIDAE. 



This family is one of the most characteristic groups of fishes found 

 on the Pacific Coast. Their main distribution is southern, but we have 

 in, our fauna seven species, some of which are exceedingly abundant in 

 Puget Sound, They are small perch-like fish from 8 to 18 inches in 

 length. The anal fin has three spines and more than 15 soft rays. The 

 lower pharyngeals are united. 



The White Perch or Pacific Porgee, Damalichthys argyrosomus 

 (Girard), {Fig. 39) is a species attaining a length of 15 inches. It 

 is very abundant, but is not regarded highly as a food fish, the flesh 

 being dry and tasteless. The dorsal fln has 10 spines and 23 rays. The 

 color is pale with a silvery luster. 



The Striped Perch, Taeniotoca lateralis (Agassiz), is a brightly 

 colored fish rather common in the Sound. It is reddish above, besom- 

 ing bright orange below. The rows of scales have blue edgings which 

 gives the fish a delicately striped appearance. It is edible and attains 

 a weight of two pounds. 



The Common Surf Fish or Black Perch, EmMotoca jacksoni 

 (Agassiz), is a species with a somewhat mottled and variable colora- 

 tion. The ground color is brown, shading into yellow on the under 

 side, and variegated with mottlings of blue, red or yellow. The sides 

 have a number of faint vertical dusky bars. It attains a length of 

 12 inches and is classed as one of our edible fishes. 



The Bridled Surf -fish, Brachyistius frenatus (Gill), (Pig. 37) is 

 one of the rarer species of this group. It is greenish brown above, 

 shading into coppery red on the belly. The scales are flecked with blue 

 and black dots. The fins are all bright red. It reaches a length of 

 eight inches. 



The Silver Surf Fish, Amphisticttus argenteus (Agassiz), is re- 

 corded from the Straits of Fuca. Its general coloration is silvery, the 

 sides being ornamented with vertical bars and spots of brassy green. 

 It is abundant on sandy shores and reaches a length of one foot. 



The White Surf Fish, Phanerodon furcatus (Girard), (Fig. 41) is 

 recorded from Vancouver Island and enters the Straits of Fuca. It is 

 light olive above, shading into silvery below. 



The Viviparous Perch, Cymatogaster aggregatus (Gibbons), (Fig. 

 38) is exceedingly abundant in Puget Sound. The schools of young 

 may be seen swimming about wharves in shallow water and are spoken 

 of as Shiners. It is the smallest of the species in this family, attaining 

 a length of six inches. Specimens vary greatly in details of color, some 

 of the individuals being very dark. The scales have groups of black 

 points which ..jinit to suggest a longitudinal striping. These stripes are 

 interrupted by several vertical bands of yellow. This species is edible 

 but its small size renders is unsuitable for the market. 



