28 



10 inches. The body is relatively deeper than in other memhers of this 

 family and the snout is acutely pointed. The sides are traversed by 

 alternate vertical stripes of black and of pale orange. It is not used 

 for food. 



The Broad-finned Greenling, Zaniolepis latipinnis (Girard), may 

 be recognized by the great height of the dorsal fln and the presence 

 of several exceedingly long free spines at its anterior end. The scales 

 are small and very rough. It is edible but is not abundant. Its length 

 is about 12 inches. 



FAMILY 33. SKIL-PISHES; ANOPIyOPOMATIDAE. 



This family is a small one, containing but two genera, each with a 

 single species, but both of these are of great interest. The group is 

 closely allied to the preceding family, the Hexagrammidae, and by 

 some authors the two are united. 



The Black Cod or Skil-fish, Anoplopoma fimbria (Pallas), (Pig. 58) 

 which is of course no relative of the true cod, has come into extensive 

 use as a food fish in recent years, and is now supplied abundantly in 

 our markets. It attains a length of two feet or more and, as its name 

 indicates, is very dark in color. The body is gracefully formed, with 

 two well-separated dorsal flns. The tail fin is set on an elongated base 

 and is formed for speed. The scales are minute and ctenoid. The anal 

 fin has three spines. Two nostrils are present on either side. 



The Giant Sea-bass, Erilepis Z07iifer (Lockington), (Fig. 59) was 

 originally described in 1880 from a specimen one foot in length taken 

 at Monterey, California, but in recent years it has been discovered to 

 exist in the North Pacific as a fish of great size, measuring 8 feet in 

 length and of considerable weight. It is not related to the true sea- 

 bass which belongs to the family Serranidae, a group not represented 

 in our fauna. No better name has been suggested for the fish up to 

 the present time. 



Erilepis resembles the Black-cod, but is a much larger species, as 

 has been indicated, and differs in the form of the body, which is much 

 deeper and bass-like. The dorsal flns are united, the point of union 

 being indicated by a deep notch. No specimens have been taken within 

 the limits of Puget Sound, but a number of examples have been cap- 

 tured on the neighboring Canadian shore. 



FAMILY 34. SCULPINS; COTTIDAE. 



This is an immense family of fishes, represented in our waters by 

 28 species. The group is a difficult one to define on account of the 

 wide range of characters. In common with several families already 

 discussed these fishes have a bony bar across the cheek. The head is 

 usually spiny. The dorsal fins are as a rule separate or slightly con- 



